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CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of October 27, 2009 among

Loan Agreement

CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of October 27, 2009 among | Document Parties: CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP | BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | COMPASS BANK | US BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | WATER SERVICE GROUP You are currently viewing:
This Loan Agreement involves

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP | BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | COMPASS BANK | US BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | WATER SERVICE GROUP

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Title: CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of October 27, 2009 among
Governing Law: New York     Date: 10/28/2009
Industry: Misc. Financial Services     Law Firm: Gibson Dunn     Sector: Financial

CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of October 27, 2009 among, Parties: california water service group , banc of america securities llc , bank of america  n.a. , compass bank , us bank  national association , water service group
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Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

 

 

Published CUSIP Number: 13083LAA4

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of October 27, 2009

among

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP,
and
CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES
as Borrowers,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender
and
L/C Issuer,

COBANK, ACB
and
BANK OF CHINA, LOS ANGELES BRANCH,
as Co-Syndication Agents,

COMPASS BANK
and
U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Co-Documentation Agents

and

The Other Lenders Party Hereto

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

 

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.01

 

 

Defined Terms

 

 

1

 

 

1.02

 

 

Other Interpretive Provisions

 

 

21

 

 

1.03

 

 

Accounting Terms

 

 

22

 

 

1.04

 

 

Rounding

 

 

23

 

 

1.05

 

 

Times of Day

 

 

23

 

 

1.06

 

 

Letter of Credit Amounts

 

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.01

 

 

Revolving Loans

 

 

23

 

 

2.02

 

 

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Revolving Loans

 

 

23

 

 

2.03

 

 

Letters of Credit

 

 

25

 

 

2.04

 

 

Swing Line Loans

 

 

33

 

 

2.05

 

 

Prepayments

 

 

36

 

 

2.06

 

 

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

 

 

37

 

 

2.07

 

 

Repayment of Loans

 

 

37

 

 

2.08

 

 

Interest

 

 

37

 

 

2.09

 

 

Fees

 

 

38

 

 

2.10

 

 

Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate

 

 

39

 

 

2.11

 

 

Evidence of Debt

 

 

39

 

 

2.12

 

 

Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback

 

 

40

 

 

2.13

 

 

Sharing of Payments by Lenders

 

 

42

 

 

2.14

 

 

Designated Borrowers

 

 

42

 

 

2.15

 

 

Cash Collateral and Other Credit Support

 

 

43

 

 

2.16

 

 

Defaulting Lenders

 

 

45

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.01

 

 

Taxes

 

 

46

 

 

3.02

 

 

Illegality

 

 

50

 

i


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.03

 

 

Inability to Determine Rates

 

 

51

 

 

3.04

 

 

Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans

 

 

51

 

 

3.05

 

 

Compensation for Losses

 

 

53

 

 

3.06

 

 

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

 

 

53

 

 

3.07

 

 

Survival

 

 

54

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.01

 

 

Conditions of Initial Credit Extension

 

 

54

 

 

4.02

 

 

Conditions to all Credit Extensions

 

 

55

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.01

 

 

Existence, Qualification and Power

 

 

56

 

 

5.02

 

 

Authorization; No Contravention

 

 

56

 

 

5.03

 

 

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

 

 

57

 

 

5.04

 

 

Binding Effect

 

 

57

 

 

5.05

 

 

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect

 

 

57

 

 

5.06

 

 

Litigation

 

 

58

 

 

5.07

 

 

No Default

 

 

58

 

 

5.08

 

 

Ownership of Property; Liens

 

 

58

 

 

5.09

 

 

Environmental Compliance

 

 

58

 

 

5.10

 

 

Insurance

 

 

58

 

 

5.11

 

 

Taxes

 

 

58

 

 

5.12

 

 

ERISA Compliance

 

 

59

 

 

5.13

 

 

Subsidiaries; Equity Interests

 

 

59

 

 

5.14

 

 

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act

 

 

59

 

 

5.15

 

 

Disclosure

 

 

60

 

 

5.16

 

 

Compliance with Laws

 

 

60

 

 

5.17

 

 

Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc

 

 

60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.01

 

 

Financial Statements

 

 

61

 

 

6.02

 

 

Certificates; Other Information

 

 

62

 

 

6.03

 

 

Notices

 

 

64

 

ii


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.04

 

 

Payment of Obligations

 

 

64

 

 

6.05

 

 

Preservation of Existence, Etc

 

 

65

 

 

6.06

 

 

Maintenance of Properties

 

 

65

 

 

6.07

 

 

Maintenance of Insurance

 

 

65

 

 

6.08

 

 

Compliance with Laws

 

 

65

 

 

6.09

 

 

Books and Records

 

 

65

 

 

6.10

 

 

Inspection Rights

 

 

65

 

 

6.11

 

 

Use of Proceeds

 

 

66

 

 

6.12

 

 

Material Licenses, Permits and Franchises

 

 

66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.01

 

 

Liens

 

 

66

 

 

7.02

 

 

Investments

 

 

69

 

 

7.03

 

 

Indebtedness

 

 

70

 

 

7.04

 

 

Fundamental Changes

 

 

72

 

 

7.05

 

 

Dispositions

 

 

72

 

 

7.06

 

 

Restricted Payments

 

 

73

 

 

7.07

 

 

Change in Business

 

 

74

 

 

7.08

 

 

Transactions with Affiliates

 

 

74

 

 

7.09

 

 

Burdensome Agreements

 

 

74

 

 

7.10

 

 

Financial Covenants

 

 

75

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.01

 

 

Events of Default

 

 

75

 

 

8.02

 

 

Remedies Upon Event of Default

 

 

77

 

 

8.03

 

 

Application of Funds

 

 

77

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.01

 

 

Appointment and Authority

 

 

79

 

 

9.02

 

 

Rights as a Lender

 

 

79

 

 

9.03

 

 

Exculpatory Provisions

 

 

79

 

 

9.04

 

 

Reliance by Administrative Agent

 

 

80

 

 

9.05

 

 

Delegation of Duties

 

 

80

 

iii


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.06

 

 

Resignation of Administrative Agent

 

 

80

 

 

9.07

 

 

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

 

 

82

 

 

9.08

 

 

No Other Duties, Etc

 

 

82

 

 

9.09

 

 

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

 

 

82

 

 

9.10

 

 

Guaranteed Cash Management Agreements and Guaranteed Hedge Agreements

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE X.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.01

 

 

Amendments, Etc

 

 

83

 

 

10.02

 

 

Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication

 

 

84

 

 

10.03

 

 

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement

 

 

86

 

 

10.04

 

 

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

 

 

87

 

 

10.05

 

 

Payments Set Aside

 

 

89

 

 

10.06

 

 

Successors and Assigns

 

 

89

 

 

10.07

 

 

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

 

 

94

 

 

10.08

 

 

Right of Setoff

 

 

94

 

 

10.09

 

 

Interest Rate Limitation

 

 

95

 

 

10.10

 

 

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

 

 

95

 

 

10.11

 

 

Survival of Representations and Warranties

 

 

96

 

 

10.12

 

 

Severability

 

 

96

 

 

10.13

 

 

Replacement of Lenders

 

 

96

 

 

10.14

 

 

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc

 

 

97

 

 

10.15

 

 

Waiver of Jury Trial

 

 

98

 

 

10.16

 

 

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

 

 

98

 

 

10.17

 

 

Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents

 

 

99

 

 

10.18

 

 

USA PATRIOT Act Notice

 

 

99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

 

S-1

 

iv


 

SCHEDULES

 

 

 

2.01

 

Commitments and Applicable Percentages

5.13

 

Subsidiaries; Other Equity Investments; Borrowers

7.01

 

Existing Liens

7.02

 

Existing Investments

7.03

 

Existing Indebtedness

7.05

 

Permitted Dispositions for Remediation Plans

7.09

 

Existing Burdensome Agreements

10.02

 

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices

EXHIBITS

 

 

 

Form of

 

A

 

Revolving Loan Notice

B

 

Swing Line Loan Notice

C

 

Note

D

 

Compliance Certificate

E-1

 

Assignment and Assumption

E-2

 

Administrative Questionnaire

F

 

Guaranty

G

 

Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement

H

 

Designated Borrower Notice

I

 

Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP

v


 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

     This CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of October 27, 2009, among CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), certain Subsidiaries of the Company party hereto pursuant to Section 2.14 (each a “ Designated Borrower ” and, together with the Company, the “ Borrowers ” and, each a “ 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, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.

     The Company 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:

     “ Acquired Indebtedness ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.03(h) .

     “ Administrative Agent ” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent appointed pursuant to Section 9.06 .

     “ 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 designate in a notice to the Company and the Lenders pursuant to Section 10.02 .

     “ Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit E-2 or any other form approved 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. As of the Closing Date, the Aggregate Commitments totaled $50,000,000.

     “ Agreement ” means this Credit Agreement.

     “ 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 and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of

1


 

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 the following percentages per annum, based upon the Total Capitalization Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(a) :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applicable Rate

 

 

 

Total

 

Eurodollar Rate Loans

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capitalization

 

and

 

Base Rate

 

 

Pricing Level

 

Ratio

 

Letter of Credit Fees

 

Loans

 

Commitment Fee

1

 

 

≤ 40

%

 

 

1.50

%

 

 

0.50

%

 

 

0.250

%

2

 

> 40% but ≤ 50%

 

 

1.75

%

 

 

0.75

%

 

 

0.250

%

3

 

> 50% but ≤ 60%

 

 

2.00

%

 

 

1.00

%

 

 

0.300

%

4

 

 

> 60

%

 

 

2.25

%

 

 

1.25

%

 

 

0.350

%

     Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Total Capitalization Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) ; provided , however , that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then, upon the request of the Required Lenders, Pricing Level 4 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and shall remain in effect until the date on which such Compliance Certificate is delivered. Subject to the preceding sentence, from the Closing Date to the date of the delivery of the Compliance Certificate for the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2009, Pricing Level 2 shall apply.

     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Rate for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(b) .

     “ Applicant Borrower ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14 .

     “ 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.

2


 

     “ Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an 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 E-1 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, 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 Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Company and its Subsidiaries, 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 and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions 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 rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate (determined in accordance with clause (b) of the definition thereof) plus 1.00%. 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 prime 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.

     “ Base Rate Revolving Loan ” means a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.

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

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

     “ Borrowing ” means a Revolving Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.

3


 

     “ 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 and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.

     “ Capital Lease ” means any lease of property, real or personal, which is required to be accounted for and classified as a capital lease in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Cash Collateralize ” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations, Obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans, or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of either thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to (a) the Administrative Agent and (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender (as applicable). “ Cash Collateral ” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing.

     “ Cash Management Agreement ” means any agreement to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

     “ Cash Management Bank ” means any Person that, (a) at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, or (b) at the time it (or its Affiliate) becomes a Lender, is a party to a Cash Management Agreement, in each case in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement.

     “ Change in Law ” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement (or, in the case of a Lender becoming a party hereto after the date of this Agreement, after the date such Lender becomes a party hereto), 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), directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of the equity securities of the Company entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Company 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) the Company owns less than 100% of the equity interests of Opco.

4


 

     “ 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 (a) make Revolving Loans to the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.01 , (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, 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.

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

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

     “ Consolidated EBITDA ” means, for any period, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for Federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) other expenses or charges of the Company and its Subsidiaries reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (including any non-cash stock-based compensation expense recognized by the Company) which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period, (v) transaction fees, costs and expenses incurred in such period in connection with (1) the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, (2) the issuance of additional mortgage notes pursuant to the Mortgage Note Documents (whether or not consummated) and (3) any Permitted Acquisition (whether or not consummated); provided that in no event shall all such fees, costs and expenses added back pursuant to this clause (v) exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement, (vi) the amount of any reduction in such Consolidated Net Income in accordance with FAS 141R as a result of an “earn-out” or other similar purchase price adjustment in connection with a Permitted Acquisition prior to the actual cash payments of any such earn-out or purchase price adjustment, minus (b) the following to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Federal, state, local and foreign income tax credits of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, and (ii) all non-cash gains and non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period, and minus (c) the amount of any cash payments in such period in respect of earn-outs or other similar purchase price adjustments, without duplication of amounts already deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income for such period.

     “ Consolidated Funded Indebtedness ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Company 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 the outstanding principal amount of all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all direct obligations arising under letters of credit (including standby and

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commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments (but only, in the case of any obligations under surety bonds or similar instruments, to the extent the obligations thereunder are non-contingent matured payment obligations), (d) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable and other similar accrued liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) deferred compensation and (iii) earn-outs and other contingent purchase price adjustments in respect of acquisitions except to the extent that the liability on account of such earn-out or purchase price adjustment becomes due and payable pursuant to the terms thereof), (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 Company 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 Company or a Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Company or such Subsidiary.

     “ Consolidated Interest Charges ” means, for any period, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to such period under Capital Leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on such date to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period.

     “ Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries (excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses) for that period determined in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Consolidated Net Worth ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, consolidated total assets (including leaseholds and leasehold improvements and reserves against assets) minus total liabilities, including but not limited to accrued and undeferred income taxes as of that date determined 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.

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     “ Credit Extension ” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

     “ CWSUS ” means CWS Utility Services, a California corporation.

     “ 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 (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided , however , that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.

     “ Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender that, as determined by the Administrative Agent, (a) has failed to perform its obligation to fund any portion of its Loans (or participations in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans) within three Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, unless such obligation is the subject of a good faith dispute, (b) has notified any Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement or has made a public statement that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its obligations to fund prospective Loans (or participations in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans), (d) otherwise has failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within three Business Days of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute, or (e) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it, or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in such Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority. A Lender that has become a Defaulting Lender because of an event referenced in this definition may cure such status and shall no longer constitute a Defaulting Lender as provided in the last paragraph of Section 2.16 .

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

     “ Designated Borrower Notice ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14 .

     “ Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14 .

     “ 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; provided that “Disposition” shall not include the issuance of Equity Interests by the Company.

     “ 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) and (v) (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 Company, any Designated Borrower 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.

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     “ 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 Company 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 Company 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 Company 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 Company or any ERISA Affiliate.

     “ Eurodollar Rate ” means

     (a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to (i) the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“ BBA LIBOR ”), as published by Reuters (or such other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period, or (ii) if such rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or converted and with a term equivalent to such 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) two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; and

     (b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to (i) BBA LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined two London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in the London interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Loan being made or maintained with a term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination.

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     “ Eurodollar Rate Loan ” means a Revolving Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”

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

     “ Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any 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 such Borrower is located, (c) any backup withholding tax that is required by the Code to be withheld from amounts payable to a Lender that has failed to comply with clause (A) of Section 3.01(e)(ii) , and (d) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Company under Section 10.13 ), any United States withholding tax that (i) is required to be imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender pursuant to the Laws in force at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or (ii) is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with clause (B) of Section 3.01(e)(ii) , 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 such Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii) .

     “ Existing Loan Agreement ” means that certain Loan Agreement dated as of May 30, 2007, among Bank of America, the Borrower, CWSUS, New Mexico Water, Washington Water and Hawaii Water.

     “ FASB ASC ” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

     “ 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 August 31, 2009, among the Company, Opco, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.

     “ Foreign Lender ” means, with respect to any Borrower, any Lender that is organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which such Borrower is resident for tax

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purposes (including such a Lender when acting in the capacity of the L/C Issuer). 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.

     “ Fronting Exposure ” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which (i) such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated pursuant to Section 2.16(d) , or (ii) Cash Collateral or other credit support acceptable to the L/C Issuer shall have been provided in accordance with Section 2.03 , and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which (i) such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated pursuant to Section 2.16(d) , or (ii) Cash Collateral or other credit support acceptable to the Swing Line Lender shall have been provided in accordance with Section 2.04 .

     “ 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 activities.

     “ 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, any (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

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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). 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.

     “ Guaranteed Cash Management Agreement ” means any Cash Management Agreement that is entered into by and between any Borrower and any Cash Management Bank.

     “ Guaranteed Hedge Agreement ” means any Swap Contract permitted under Article VII that is entered into by and between any Borrower and any Hedge Bank.

     “ Guaranteed Parties ” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Hedge Banks, the Cash Management Banks, and each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 9.05 .

     “ Guaranty ” means the Guaranty made by the Company in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Guaranteed Parties in connection with the addition of one or more Designated Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.14(a) , substantially in the form of Exhibit F .

     “ Hawaii Water ” means Hawaii Water Service Company, Inc., a Hawaii corporation.

     “ 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.

     “ Hedge Bank ” means any Person that, (a) at the time it enters into a Swap Contract permitted under Article VI or VII , is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, or (b) at the time it (or its Affiliate) becomes a Lender, is a party to a Swap Contract, in each case in its capacity as a party to such Swap Contract.

     “ HWSUS ” means HWS Utility Services LLC, a Hawaii limited liability company.

     “ 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) the principal amount of all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and the principal amount of all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

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     (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 and other similar accrued liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business and deferred compensation);

     (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 non-contingent mandatory payment obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such 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, unless 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, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided , however , that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

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     “ Interest Period ” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, or such other period that is twelve months or less requested by the Company and consented to by all the Lenders, as selected by the Company in its Revolving Loan Notice; provided that:

     (i) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

     (ii) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

     (iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

     “ Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

     “ IP Rights ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.17 .

     “ IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

     “ ISP ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

     “ Issuer Documents ” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Company (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

     “ 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

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permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

     “ L/C Advance ” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

     “ L/C Borrowing ” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Revolving Borrowing.

     “ L/C Credit Extension ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

     “ L/C Issuer ” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

     “ L/C Obligations ” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

     “ Lender ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes the Swing Line Lender.

     “ 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 Company and the Administrative Agent.

     “ Letter of Credit ” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder.

     “ Letter of Credit Application ” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

     “ Letter of Credit Expiration Date ” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

     “ Letter of Credit Fee ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h) .

     “ Letter of Credit Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $10,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

     “ Lien ” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or

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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 ” means an extension of credit by a Lender to a Borrower under Article II in the form of a Revolving Loan or a Swing Line Loan.

     “ Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, each Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral or other credit support pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.15 , the Fee Letter and the Guaranty.

     “ London Banking Day ” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

     “ 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, liabilities (actual or contingent) or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company or the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Borrower that has any outstanding Loans or Letters of Credit, or will have any outstanding Loans or Letters of Credit after giving effect to any request for extensions of credit on such date, 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 Borrower that has any outstanding Loans or Letters of Credit, or will have any outstanding Loans or Letters of Credit after giving effect to any request for extensions of credit on such date, of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

     “ Material Subsidiary ” means (a) each Designated Borrower and (b) each other Subsidiary that (i) has total assets equal to or greater than five percent (5%) of total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (calculated on a consolidated basis as of the most recent fiscal period for which financial statements are available), or (ii) has revenues equal to or greater than five percent (5%) of the total revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries (calculated on a consolidated basis for the most recent period for which financial statements are available).

     “ Maturity Date ” means the earlier of (a) October 27, 2012 and (b) the date on which the aggregate Opco Credit Commitments are terminated pursuant to the terms of the Opco Credit Agreement.

     “ Mortgage Note Documents ” means (a) the Indenture dated as of April 1, 1928 between Opco and Los Angeles-First National Trust & Savings Bank, as original Trustee (and currently U.S. Bank National Association, as the successor Trustee thereunder), (b) any and all notes issued pursuant thereto, and (c) any purchase or exchange agreements executed in connection with either of the foregoing.

     “ Mortgaged Property ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.01(q) .

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     “ Multiemployer Plan ” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Company 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.

     “ New Mexico Water ” means New Mexico Water Service Company, a New Mexico corporation.

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

     “ Obligations ” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, Letter of Credit, Guaranteed Cash Management Agreement or Guaranteed Hedge Agreement, in each case 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 Borrower 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.

     “ Opco ” means California Water Service Company, a California corporation.

     “ Opco Credit Agreement ” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of the date hereof, among Opco, Bank of America, as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer and the lenders from time to time party thereto.

     “ Opco Credit Commitment ” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make loans and extend credit under the Opco Credit Agreement.

     “ 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 (i) with respect to Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any

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borrowings and prepayments or repayments of such Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Company of Unreimbursed Amounts.

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

     “ PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

     “ 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 Company or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Company 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.

     “ Permitted Acquisition ” means any purchase or acquisition of Equity Interests or property permitted by Section 7.02(g) .

     “ Permitted Lien ” means any Lien permitted by Section 7.01 .

     “ 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 Company 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 .

     “ Public Lender ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .

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

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

     “ 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 (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Revolving Loans, a Revolving Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

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     “ 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 and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 , Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); 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 chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, controller or assistant to the chief financial officer of a Borrower. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Borrower.

     “ Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of the Company or any Subsidiary, 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 capital stock or other Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Company’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).

     “ Revolving Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Revolving Loans of the same Type, and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01 .

     “ Revolving Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 .

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

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

     “ 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 Company.

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     “ 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).

     “ Swing Line Borrowing ” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.04 .

     “ Swing Line Lender ” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

     “ Swing Line Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a) .

     “ Swing Line Loan Notice ” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b) , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

     “ Swing Line Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $10,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

     “ Synthetic Lease Obligation ” means 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).

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

     “ Threshold Amount ” means $10,000,000.

     “ Total Capitalization Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) the sum of (i) Consolidated Net Worth plus (ii) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date.

     “ Total Outstandings ” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

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

     “ Unreimbursed Amount ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i) .

     “ Washington Water ” means Washington Water Service Company, a Washington corporation.

      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

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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 as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

     (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, and either the Company or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Company shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that , until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Company shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

     (c)  Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities . All references herein to consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that the Company is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB ASC 810 as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein ( provided that such entity shall not be deemed to be a Subsidiary hereunder for any other purpose).

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      1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Company 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 Pacific time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

      1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit at such time; provided , however , that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

ARTICLE II.
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

      2.01 Revolving Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “ Revolving Loan ”) to the Borrowers 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 Revolving Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans 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 Borrowers may borrow under this Section 2.01 , prepay under Section 2.05 , and reborrow under this Section 2.01 . Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

      2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Revolving Loans .

     (a) Each Revolving Borrowing, each conversion of Revolving Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Company’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 10:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Revolving Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Revolving Loans. Each telephonic notice by the Company pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Revolving Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $2,500,000 or a

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whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c) , each Revolving Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Revolving Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each Revolving Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Company or a Designated Borrower, as the case may be, is requesting a Revolving Borrowing, a conversion of Revolving Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Revolving Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Revolving Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Revolving Loans are to be converted, (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto, and (vi) if applicable, the Designated Borrower. If the Company fails to specify a Type of Revolving Loan in a Revolving Loan Notice or if the Company fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Revolving Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Company requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Revolving Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

     (b) Following receipt of a Revolving Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Revolving Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Company, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans as described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Revolving Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Revolving Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 12:00 noon on the Business Day specified in the applicable Revolving 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 Company in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Company 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 Company (it being understood with respect to any Borrowing on behalf of a Designated Borrower, the Company shall promptly distribute the proceeds of such Loan to such Designated Borrower); provided , however , that if, on the date the Revolving Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Company, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first , shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and, second , shall be made available to the applicable Borrower as provided above.

     (c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

     (d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Company and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination

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of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Company 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.

     (e) After giving effect to all Revolving Borrowings, all conversions of Revolving Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Revolving Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to Revolving Loans.

      2.03 Letters of Credit.

     (a)  The Letter of Credit Commitment .

     (i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03 , (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Company or its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Company for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Company that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Company’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Company may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.

          (ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:

     (A) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii) , the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

     (B) the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.

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     (iii) The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

     (A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

     (B) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

     (C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $250,000;

     (D) such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars; or

     (E) any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Company or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure with respect to such Lender as to either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or such Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has such actual or potential risk, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

     (iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

     (v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.

     (vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative

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Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

     (b)  Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit .

     (i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Company delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Company shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.

     (ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Company and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Borrower, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Company (or the applicable Subsidiary) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

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     (iii) If the Company so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “ Auto-Extension Letter of Credit ”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “ Non-Extension Notice Date ”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Company shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided , however , that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Company that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

     (iv) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

     (c)  Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations .

     (i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Company and the Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (or 10:00 a.m. on the following Business Day in the event the L/C Issuer fails to notify the Company of any such payment by 9:00 a.m. on the date of any such payment) (each such date, an “ Honor Date ”), the Company shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing. If the Company fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “ Unreimbursed Amount ”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, the Company shall be deemed to have requested a Revolving Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Revolving Loan

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Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

     (ii) Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (including for this purpose the application of available Cash Collateral and other credit support provided pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iii)(E) ) to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 12:00 noon on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii) , each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Revolving Loan to the Company in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.

     (iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Revolving Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Company shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03 .

     (iv) Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

     (v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c) , shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Company, any Subsidiary or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Company of a Revolving Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Company to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

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     (vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii) , then without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Revolving Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

     (d)  Repayment of Participations .

     (i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c) , if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Company or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

     (ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

     (e)  Obligations Absolute . The obligation of the Company to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

     (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;

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     (ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Company or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

     (iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

     (iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or

     (v) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Company or any Subsidiary.

     The Company shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Company’s instructions or other irregularity, the Company will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Company shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

     (f)  Role of L/C Issuer . Each Lender and the Company agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Company hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided , however , that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Company’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of

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the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e) ; provided , however , that Section 2.03(e) to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Company, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Company which the Company proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

     (g)  Applicability of ISP . Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Company when a Letter of Credit is issued, the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit.

     (h)  Letter of Credit Fees . The Company shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “ Letter of Credit Fee ”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit; provided , however, any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender has not provided Cash Collateral or other credit support arrangements satisfactory to the L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 2.03 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.16(d) , with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the L/C Issuer for its own account. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.

     (i)  Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer . The Company shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion

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thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . In addition, the Company shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

     (j)  Conflict with Issuer Documents . In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

     (k)  Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries . Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Company hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Company, and that the Company’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

      2.04 Swing Line Loans.

     (a)  The Swing Line . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04 , may in its sole discretion make loans (each such loan, a “ Swing Line Loan ”) to the Company 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 the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided , however , that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and provided , further , that the Company shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Company may borrow under this Section 2.04 , prepay under Section 2.05 , and reborrow under this Section 2.04 . Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

     (b)  Borrowing Procedures . Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Company’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the

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Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $100,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company. Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 1:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a) , or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 2:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Company at its office by crediting the account of the Company on the books of the Swing Line Lender in immediately available funds.

     (c)  Refinancing of Swing Line Loans .

     (i) The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of the Company (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Revolving Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Revolving Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02 , without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 . The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Company with a copy of the applicable Revolving Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Revolving Loan Notice available (including for this purpose Cash Collateral and other credit support made available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 12:00 noon on the day specified in such Revolving Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii) , each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Revolving Loan to the Company in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

     (ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i) , the request for Base Rate Revolving Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk

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participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

     (iii) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i) , the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Revolving Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

     (iv) Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Company or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 . No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Company to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

     (v) In the event that the Swing Line Lender, in the exercise of its discretion, requires that, as a condition to the making of any Swing Line Loan, a Defaulting Lender, or the Borrowers, enter into arrangements satisfactory to the Swing Line Lender for the provision of sufficient Cash Collateral or other credit support acceptable to the Swing Line Lender, to eliminate the Swing Line Lender’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure with respect to any such Lender, then the provisions of Section 2.15 shall apply.

     (d)  Repayment of Participations .

     (i) At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

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     (ii) If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

     (e)  Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender . The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Company for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds its Base Rate Revolving Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

     (f)  Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender . The Company shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.

      2.05 Prepayments. (a) Each Borrower may, upon notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Revolving 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 10:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans, and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Revolving Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $2,500,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Revolving Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, 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 Revolving Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. 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 Company, the applicable Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05 . Subject to Section 2.16 , each such prepayment shall be applied to the Revolving Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

     (b) The Company may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given

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by the Company, the Company shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

     (c) If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, then, the Company shall immediately prepay Loans and/or the Company shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) unless after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.

      2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments. The Company 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 10:00 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, (iii) the Company 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, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. 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. (a) Each Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans made to such Borrower outstanding on such date.

     (b) The Company shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.

      2.08 Interest. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Revolving 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; and (iii) each Swing Line 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 (without regard 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

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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 any Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon and following the request of the Required Lenders to the Administrative Agent and the Company (provided that no such request of, or notice to, the Company shall be required in connection with the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) or 8.01(g) ), 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) Upon and following the request of the Required Lenders to the Administrative Agent and the Company (provided that no such request of, or notice to, the Company shall be required in connection with the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) or 8.01(g) ), to the extent any Event of Default then exists, the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

     (iv) 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. In addition to certain fees described in Sections 2.03(h) and (i) :

     (a)  Commitment Fee . The Company 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 (i) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.16 . 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 quarterly in arrears on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, 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 quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

     (b)  Other Fees . (i) The Company 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

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Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

     (ii) The Company shall pay to the Lenders, in Dollars, 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; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate. (a) All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar 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.

     (b) If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Company or for any other reason, the Company or the Lenders determine that (i) the Total Capitalization Ratio as calculated by the Company as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation of the Total Capitalization Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, each Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period. This paragraph shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under Section 2.03(c)(iii) , 2.03(h) or 2.08(b) or under Article VIII . The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall survive for a period of six months following the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the indefeasible repayment of all other Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations) hereunder.

      2.11 Evidence of Debt. (a) 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 Borrowers 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 Borrowers 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 to a Borrower made through the Administrative Agent,

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such Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans to such Borrower in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to a Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

     (b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a) , each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the acco


 
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