EX-1.2: UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.2

Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.

3,636,363 Shares

Common Stock
($0.01 par value per Share)

Underwriting Agreement

April 1, 2008

Underwriting Agreement

April 1, 2008

UBS Securities LLC

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
    as Managing Underwriters
c/o UBS Securities LLC
677 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, Connecticut 06901

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          Alpha Natural Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), proposes to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule A annexed hereto (the “ Underwriters ”), for whom you are acting as representatives, an aggregate of 3,636,363 shares (the “ Firm Shares ”) of common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “ Common Stock ”), of the Company. In addition, solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters the option to purchase from the Company up to an additional 545,454 shares of Common Stock (the “ Additional Shares ”). The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively sometimes referred to as the “ Shares .” The Shares are described in the Prospectus which is referred to below.

          The Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “ Act ”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-134081) under the Act (the “ registration statement ”), including a prospectus, which registration statement incorporates by reference documents which the Company has filed, or will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “ Exchange Act ”). Amendments to such registration statement, if necessary or appropriate, have been similarly prepared and filed with the Commission in accordance with the Act. Such registration statement, as so amended, has become effective under the Act.

          Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Registration Statement ,” as used herein, means the registration statement, as amended at the time of such registration statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the Act, as such section applies to the respective Underwriters (the “ Effective Time ”), including (i) all documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, (ii) any information contained or incorporated by reference in a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, to the extent such information is deemed, pursuant to Rule 430A, Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Act, to be part of the registration statement at the Effective Time, and (iii) any registration statement filed to register the offer and sale of Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act.

          The Company has furnished to you, for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Shares, copies of one or more preliminary prospectus

supplements, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, relating to the Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Pre-Pricing Prospectus ,” as used herein, means each such preliminary prospectus supplement, in the form so furnished, including any basic prospectus (whether or not in preliminary form) furnished to you by the Company and attached to or used with such preliminary prospectus supplement. Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Basic Prospectus ,” as used herein, means any such basic prospectus and any basic prospectus furnished to you by the Company and attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below).

          Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Prospectus Supplement ,” as used herein, means the final prospectus supplement, relating to the Shares, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act on or before the second business day after the date hereof (or such earlier time as may be required under the Act), in the form furnished by the Company to you for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Shares.

          Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Prospectus ,” as used herein, means the Prospectus Supplement together with the Basic Prospectus attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement.

          “ Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses ,” as used herein, means the documents listed on Schedule B attached hereto. The Underwriters have not offered or sold and will not offer or sell, without the Company’s consent, any Shares by means of any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) that is required to be filed by the Underwriters with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Act, other than a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.

          “ Disclosure Package ,” as used herein, means the Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, in either case together with the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, taken together as a whole.

          Any reference herein to the registration statement, the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, therein (the “ Incorporated Documents ”), including, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein to the terms “ amend ,” “ amendment ” or “ supplement ” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act on or after the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, or the date of such Basic Prospectus, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

          As used in this agreement (the “ Agreement ”), “ business day ” shall mean a day on

which the New York Stock Exchange (the “ NYSE ”) is open for trading. The terms “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto,” “hereinafter” and similar terms, as used in this Agreement, shall in each case refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section, paragraph, sentence or other subdivision of this Agreement. The term “or,” as used herein, is not exclusive.

          The Company and the Underwriters agree as follows:

     1.  Sale and Purchase . Upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the respective Underwriters and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A attached hereto, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 8 hereof, in each case at a purchase price of $39.50 per Share. The Company is advised by you that the Underwriters intend (i) to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Firm Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in your judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the Firm Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus. You may from time to time increase or decrease the public offering price after the initial public offering to such extent as you may determine.

          In addition, the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters the option (the “ Over-Allotment Option ”) to purchase, and upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company, ratably in accordance with the number of Firm Shares to be purchased by each of them, all or a portion of the Additional Shares as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares, at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters to the Company for the Firm Shares. The Over-Allotment Option may be exercised by UBS Securities LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the “ Representatives ”) on behalf of the several Underwriters at any time and from time to time on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus Supplement, by written notice to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Shares as to which the Over-Allotment Option is being exercised and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (any such date and time being herein referred to as an “ additional time of purchase ”); provided , however , that no additional time of purchase shall be earlier than the “time of purchase” (as defined below) nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the Over-Allotment Option shall have been exercised nor later than the tenth business day after the date on which the Over-Allotment Option shall have been exercised. The number of Additional Shares to be sold to each Underwriter shall be the number which bears the same proportion to the aggregate number of Additional Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto bears to the total number of Firm Shares (subject, in each case, to such adjustment as the Representatives may determine to eliminate fractional shares), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 8 hereof.

     2.  Payment and Delivery . Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company by Federal Funds wire transfer against delivery of the certificates for the Firm Shares to you through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) for the

respective accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on April 7, 2008 (unless another time shall be agreed to by you and the Company or unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 hereof). The time at which such payment and delivery are to be made is hereinafter sometimes called the “ time of purchase .” Electronic transfer of the Firm Shares shall be made to you at the time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as you shall specify.

          Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Shares shall be made at the additional time of purchase in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Shares. Electronic transfer of the Additional Shares shall be made to you at the additional time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as you shall specify.

          Deliveries of the documents described in Section 6 hereof with respect to the purchase of the Shares shall be made at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell at 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date of the closing of the purchase of the Firm Shares or the Additional Shares, as the case may be.

     3.  Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

     (a) the Registration Statement has heretofore become effective under the Act; no stop order of the Commission preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission;

     (b) the Registration Statement complied when it became effective, complies as of the date hereof and, as amended or supplemented, will comply at the time of purchase and each additional time of purchase, if any, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; the conditions to the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby have been satisfied; the Registration Statement constitutes an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act); the Company has not received, from the Commission, a notice, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2), of objection to the use of the automatic shelf registration statement form; as of the determination date applicable to the Registration Statement (and any amendment thereof) and the offering contemplated hereby, the Company is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; as of the date hereof, the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415 under the Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415(a)(5) under the Act); the Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; each Pre-Pricing Prospectus complied, at the time it was filed with the Commission, and complies as of the date hereof, in all material respects with the requirements of the Act; each Basic Prospectus complied or will comply, as of its date and the date it was or will be filed with the Commission, complies as of the date hereof (if filed with the Commission on or prior to the date hereof) and, at the time of purchase

and each additional time of purchase, if any, will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; each of the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus will comply, as of the date that it is filed with the Commission, the date of the Prospectus Supplement, the time of purchase and each additional time of purchase, if any, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act (in the case of the Prospectus, including, without limitation, Section 10(a) of the Act); as of the date hereof, the Disclosure Package did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; as of the date of any Prospectus Supplement, the time of purchase and any additional time of purchase, if any, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, taken together with any Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each Incorporated Document, at the time such document was filed with the Commission or at the time such document became effective, as applicable, complied, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Exchange Act and did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representation or warranty in this Section 3 (b) with respect to any statement contained in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information concerning an Underwriter and furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.

     (c) prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any; the Company has not prepared, used or referred to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus except in compliance with Rule 163 or with Rules 164 and 433 under the Act; the conditions set forth in one or more of subclauses (i) through (iv), inclusive, of Rule 433(b)(1) under the Act are satisfied; neither the Company nor the Underwriters are disqualified, by reason of subsection (f) or (g) of Rule 164 under the Act, from using, in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, “free writing prospectuses” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Act; the Company is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act with respect to the offering of the Shares contemplated by the Registration Statement; the parties hereto agree and understand that the content of any and all “road shows” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act) related to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby is solely the property of the Company;

     (d) the Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in

good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except (i) where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”) and (ii) for jurisdictions not recognizing the legal concepts of good standing or qualification;

     (e) the entities listed on Schedule C hereto are the only subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company (collectively, the “ Subsidiaries ”). Each of the Company’s significant subsidiaries, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Act (each a “ Significant Subsidiary ”) has been duly incorporated or formed and is an existing limited liability company, corporation or limited partnership, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, as applicable, with power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and each of the Significant Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign limited liability company, corporation or limited partnership, as applicable, in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification; except (i) where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) for jurisdictions not recognizing the legal concepts of good standing or qualification. All of the limited liability company membership interests, outstanding shares of capital stock (“ Subsidiary Shares ”) and limited partnership interests (collectively, the “ Subsidiary Equity Interests ”) of each of the Significant Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and, to the extent certificated, have been validly issued, and all Subsidiary Shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Subsidiary Equity Interests are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free from all liens, encumbrances and security interests, other than liens, encumbrances and security interests imposed in favor of the lenders under (i) the senior secured credit facility of Alpha Natural Resources, LLC, as borrower, and Alpha NR Holding, Inc., as parent guarantor, and (ii) the non-recourse senior secured loan facility of Gallatin Materials LLC, as borrower, each as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or permitted thereunder;

     (f) the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

     (g) the shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable;

     (h) the authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

     (i) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

     (j) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its respective certificate of incorporation, certificate of limited partnership or certificate of formation, as applicable, or by-laws, limited liability company agreement or limited partnership agreement, as applicable, or (ii) in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or the Subsidiaries or their respective property is bound, except with respect to clause (ii) only, to the extent that such default would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

     (k) the issuance and sale of the Shares and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and compliance with the terms and provisions hereof will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, (i) any applicable statute or any applicable rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body, or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties, (ii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject, (iii) any applicable rule or applicable regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the NYSE), (iv) any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, (v) the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company or the certificate of incorporation or certificate of formation, as applicable, or by-laws or limited liability company agreement or limited partnership agreement, as applicable, of any such Subsidiary, except, in the case of clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) for such breaches, violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by such parties. The Company has full power and authority to authorize, issue and sell the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement.

     (l) no consent, approval, authorization, license, or order of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court or any regulatory authority, or approval of the stockholders of the Company, is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares

except for (i) the registration of the Shares under the Act and under the Exchange Act, approval for listing of the Shares on the NYSE and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, or filings as may be required to be obtained or made under state securities or “blue sky” laws or by the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., formerly the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., in connection with the purchase and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters and (ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, licenses, orders, or filings which have been previously obtained or made or as to which the failure to so obtain or make would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

     (m) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Shares;

     (n) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement;

     (o) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except for those which the failure to so possess would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

     (p) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or involving the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, or to materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Shares; and no such actions, suits or proceedings are threatened in writing or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated;

     (q) KPMG LLP, who have audited certain financial statements included in the

Prospectus, whose reports appear in the Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 6(c) hereof, are independent public accountants as contemplated by the Act;

     (r) the financial statements, together with the related schedules and notes, included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved;

     (s) there has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

     (t) the Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

     (u) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them that are material to the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free from liens, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them; and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property that is material to the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole under valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them; provided, that the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to hold a less than fully marketable leasehold interest solely because the consent of the lessor to future assignments has not been obtained;

     (v) the Company and the Subsidiaries own, possess, have the right to use, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “ Intellectual Property Rights ”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except for such failures to so own, possess or have the right to use or acquire such intellectual property rights which would not reasonably be expected,

individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of infringement of, or conflict with, asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect;

     (w) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (except for routine disciplinary and grievance matters) exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

     (x) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “ Environmental Laws ”), owns or operates any real property that, to the knowledge of the Company, is contaminated with any substance that is subject to any environmental laws, is, to the knowledge of the Company, liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any environmental laws, or is, to the knowledge of the Company, subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim;

     (y) the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged or as required by law;

     (z) the Company and each of the Significant Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences;

     (aa) the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined as Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act) designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported in accordance with the Exchange Act and the rules

and regulations thereunder. The Company has carried out evaluations, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures in accordance with Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act;

     (bb) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such Persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “ FCPA ”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company, the Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith, except for any such violation of the FCPA or failure to comply with the FCPA or to institute and maintain such policies and procedures that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect;

     (cc) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC;

     (dd) each pension plan and welfare plan established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of the Subsidiaries is in compliance with the currently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ ERISA ”), except where noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred or could reasonably be expected to incur any withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA, any liability under Section 4062, 4063 or 4064 of ERISA or any other liability under Title IV of ERISA that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

     (ee) the statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, under the caption “Description of Common Stock,” in so far as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Stock, under the

captions “Description of Debt Securities” and “Concurrent Notes Offering,” in so far as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Company’s material indebtedness, and under the captions “Description of Debt Securities” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” in so far as they purport to describe the provisions of laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects; and

          In addition, any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

     4.  Certain Covenants of the Company . The Company hereby agrees:

     (a) to furnish such information as may be required and otherwise to cooperate in qualifying the Shares for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such states or other jurisdictions as you may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as you may reasonably request for the distribution of the Shares; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation, to take any action that would subject it to the service of process or to subject itself to taxation in excess of a normal amount under the laws of any such jurisdiction (except service of process with respect to the offering and sale of the Shares); and to promptly advise you of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose;

     (b) to make available to the Underwriters in New York City, as soon as practicable after this Agreement becomes effective, and thereafter from time to time to furnish to the Underwriters, as many copies of the Prospectus (or of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have made any amendments or supplements thereto after the effective date of the Registration Statement) as the Underwriters may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by the Act; in case any Underwriter is required to deliver (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule), in connection with the sale of the Shares, a prospectus after the nine-month period referred to in Section 10(a)(3) of the Act, or after the time a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is required pursuant to Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K under the Act, the Company will prepare, at its expense (provided, however, after nine months from the date of the Prospectus, any such preparing, f