Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
We may, at our option and at any time, terminate our obligations with respect to the outstanding debt securities (“Defeasance”). Defeasance means that we will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the outstanding debt securities, except for (1) the rights of the holders of outstanding debt securities to receive payment in respect of the principal of and interest on such debt securities when such payments are due, (2) our obligations to issue temporary debt securities, register and transfer or exchange any debt securities, replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities, maintain an office or agency for payments in respect of the debt securities and segregate and hold money in trust, (3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Senior Trustee or the Subordinated Trustee, as the case may be, and (4) the Defeasance provisions of the applicable Indenture. In addition, we may, at our option and at any time, elect to terminate our obligations with respect to the debt securities (being primarily the restrictions described under “— Limitation on Liens” and “— Limitation on Sale/Leaseback Transactions”), and any omission to comply with such obligations will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities (“Covenant Defeasance”).
In order to exercise either Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:
we must irrevocably deposit with the Senior Trustee or the Subordinated Trustee, as the case may be, in trust, for the benefit of the holders, cash in United States dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of and interest on the outstanding debt securities to maturity;
we must deliver to the Senior Trustee or the Subordinated Trustee, as the case may be, an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the outstanding debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance had not occurred (in the case of Defeasance, such opinion must refer to and be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service issued, or a change in applicable federal income tax laws occurring, after the date hereof);
no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as the last bullet point under the first paragraph under “— Events of Default” is concerned, at any time during the period ending the 91st day after the date of deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period);
such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not cause the Senior Trustee or the Subordinated Trustee, as the case may be, to have a conflicting interest (as defined by the Trust Indenture Act) with respect to any of our securities;
such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the applicable Indenture or any material agreement or instrument to which we are a party or by which we are bound; and
we shall have delivered to the Senior Trustee or the Subordinated Trustee, as the case may be, an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent under the applicable Indenture to either Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, have been complied with and that no violations under agreements governing any other outstanding Debt would result.
Satisfaction and Discharge
Each Indenture provides that it will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities, as expressly provided for in such Indenture) as to all outstanding debt securities when (1) either (a) all the debt securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen or destroyed debt securities which have been replaced or paid and debt
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