ATN Atlas Energy Resources Llc

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 8, 2009

Registration No. 333-       

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
ATLAS ENERGY FINANCE CORP.
and Other Registrants
(see additional registrants below)

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Westpointe Corporate Center One

1550 Coraopolis Heights Road

Moon Township, PA 15108

(412) 262-2830

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s principal executive office)

 

Matthew A. Jones

Atlas Energy Resources, LLC

Westpointe Corporate Center One

1550 Coraopolis Heights Road

Moon Township, PA 15108

(412) 262-2830

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of agent for service)

Please send copies of communications to:

 

Lisa A. Ernst, Esq.

Mark E. Rosenstein, Esq.

Ledgewood

1900 Market Street, Suite 750

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 731-9450

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:   From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective.

 

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or reinvestment plans, please check the following box:   o

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box:   þ

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.   o

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.   o

 

If this form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.   þ

 

If this form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.   o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check One):

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

The following are co-registrants that may guarantee the debt securities:

 

Atlas Energy Tennessee, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Atlas Energy Indiana, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Atlas Energy Michigan, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Atlas Gas & Oil Company, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Westside Pipeline Company, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

AIC, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Atlas Energy Ohio, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Atlas Resources, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Atlas Noble, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Atlas America, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

AER Pipeline Construction, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Viking Resources, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Resource Energy, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Resource Well Services, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

REI-NY, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC

COMMON UNITS, PREFERRED UNITS, WARRANTS,

DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTIES

 

ATLAS ENERGY FINANCE CORP.

ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC

DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTIES

 

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. We may offer and sell securities from time to time in amounts, at prices and on terms that we will determine at the times of the offerings. This prospectus also covers guarantees of our obligations under any debt securities, which may be given from time to time by one or more of our direct or indirect subsidiaries, on terms to be determined at the time of the offering.

 

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.

 

 

Our common units are listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ATN.”

 

 

An investment in these securities entails material risks and uncertainties. See “Risk Factors” on page 2 of this prospectus.

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is July 8, 2009

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or “free writing prospectus.” We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. This document may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of its date.

INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

The matters discussed or incorporated by reference in this prospectus may include forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” or “will,” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. In particular, statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance contained in this report are forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations include:

 

 

Other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this report are more fully described in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus are made only as of the date hereof. We do not undertake and specifically decline any obligation to update any such statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of these statements to reflect future events or developments.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

This prospectus constitutes only a part of the registration statement and does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, its exhibits and its schedules. You will find additional information about our company in the registration statement. Any statements made in this prospectus concerning the provisions of legal documents are not necessarily complete and you should read the documents that are filed as exhibits to the registration statement or otherwise filed with the SEC for a more complete understanding of the document or matter.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov or at our website at www.atlasenergyresources.com . You may also read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F. Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for additional information on the public reference room.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to these documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC under Sections 13, 14 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 will automatically update and supersede this information (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 and Item 7.01 on any Current Report on Form 8-K).

 

We are incorporating by reference the following documents that we have previously filed with the SEC (other than information in such documents that is deemed not to be filed):

 

 

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus without charge by writing or calling us at:

Atlas Energy Resources, LLC

Westpointe Corporate Center One

1550 Coraopolis Heights Road

Moon Township, PA 15108

(412) 262-2830

Attn: Brian Begley

 

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or “free writing prospectus.” We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer to sell these securities or soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or the documents we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

 

The statements that we make in this prospectus or in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus about the contents of any other documents are not necessarily complete, and are qualified in their entirety by referring you to copies of those documents that are filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, or as an exhibit to the documents incorporated by reference. You can obtain copies of these documents from the SEC or from us, as described above.

 

We are a publicly-traded Delaware limited liability company (NYSE: ATN) formed in June 2006. We are an independent developer and producer of natural gas and oil, with operations in the Appalachian Basin, where we focus on the development of the Marcellus Shale, northern Michigan’s Antrim Shale, and Indiana’s New Albany Shale. Our Appalachian Basin major operations are located in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and north central Tennessee, and we have additional operations in New York, West Virginia and Kentucky. We specialize in the development of these natural gas basins because they provide us with repeatable, lower-risk drilling opportunities. We are a leading sponsor and manager of tax-advantaged, direct investment natural gas and oil partnerships in the United States. Our focus is to increase our own reserves, production, and cash flows through a balanced mix of generating new opportunities of geologic prospects, natural gas and oil exploitation and development, and sponsorship of investment partnerships. We generate both upfront and ongoing fees from the drilling, production, servicing, and administration of our wells in these partnerships.

 

We were formed in June 2006 to own and operate substantially all of the natural gas and oil assets and the investment partnership management business of Atlas America. We are managed by Atlas Energy Management, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlas America. Our class B units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ATN”.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at Westpointe Corporate Center One, 1550 Coraopolis Heights Road, Moon Township, PA 15108 and our telephone number is (412) 262-2830. Our website is www.atlasenergyresources.com. Except as described in “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference,” the information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC.

 

Recent Developments

 

On April 27, 2009, we, Atlas Energy Management and Atlas America entered into an agreement and plan of merger, which we refer to as the merger agreement, pursuant to which we will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlas America.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement, if and when the merger is completed, each of Atlas Energy Resources’ outstanding common units, other than treasury units and common units owned by Atlas America and its subsidiaries, will be cancelled and converted into the right to receive 1.16 shares of Atlas America common stock.

 

Following the announcement of the merger agreement, five separate class actions were filed against us in Delaware Chancery Court purporting to challenge the merger. On June 15, 2009, the Chancery Court issued an order of consolidation. Plaintiffs filed a Verified Consolidated Class Action Complaint on July 1, 2009, which has superseded all prior complaints. The complaint advances claims of breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the merger agreement and violation of disclosure obligations in the preliminary proxy filed by Atlas America, and seeks monetary damages or injunctive relief, or both. Predicting the outcome of this lawsuit is difficult. An adverse judgment for monetary damages could have a material adverse effect on the operations of the combined company after the merger. A preliminary injunction could delay or jeopardize the completion of the merger, and an adverse judgment granting permanent injunctive relief could indefinitely enjoin completion of the merger. Based on the facts known to date, the defendants believe that the claims asserted against them are without merit, and intend to defend themselves vigorously against the claims.

RISK FACTORS

 

You should carefully consider the specific risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, the risk factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” in any applicable prospectus supplement and any risk factors set forth in our other filings with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act before making an investment decision. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Except as otherwise provided in a prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of the securities will be used for general company purposes. If we do not use the net proceeds immediately, we may temporarily invest them in short-term, interest-bearing obligations.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for our predecessor, Atlas America E&P Operations, before the date of our initial public offering on December 18, 2006, and our ratio after that date for the periods indicated. Atlas America E&P Operations were the subsidiaries of Atlas America which held its natural gas and oil development and production assets and liabilities, substantially all of which Atlas America transferred to us upon the completion of our initial public offering. References to fiscal 2005 and 2004 are to Atlas America E&P Operations’ fiscal year end, which was September 30. In 2006, Atlas America E&P Operations changed its year end to December 31, so data is provided for the three months ended December 31, 2005.

 

 

There was no interest expense in periods prior to the year ended December 31, 2007. For purposes of this computation, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges represents income from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest and accounting changes plus fixed charges. Fixed charges means interest expense plus estimated element of rental expense. We have not issued any preferred securities as of the date of this prospectus, and, accordingly, we have not paid any preferred dividends.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON UNITS

 

We describe our common units under the heading “Our Limited Liability Company Agreement.”

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED UNITS

 

Any prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of preferred units will contain a description of the specific terms of that series as fixed by our board of directors, including, as applicable:

 

 

 

In some cases, the issuance of preferred units could delay a change in control of us and make it harder to remove present management. Under certain circumstances, preferred units could also restrict dividend payments to holders of our common units.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DEBT SECURITIES

 

General

 

The debt securities to be offered will constitute either senior or subordinated debt of us or Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC. The senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities will be issued under separate indentures between us or Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC and a trustee to be named in any prospectus supplement. A prospectus supplement will contain summaries of the indentures.

 

Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement

 

A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

 

We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

The Trustee

 

We will enter into the indentures with a trustee that is qualified to act under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and with any other trustees chosen by us and appointed in a supplemental indenture for a particular series of debt securities.

 

Resignation or Removal of Trustee

 

If the trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee shall either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable Indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such indenture.

 

The trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.

 

Limitations on Trustee if it is Our Creditor

 

Each indenture will contain certain limitations on the right of the trustee, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer or a guarantor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.

 

Annual Trustee Report to Holders of Debt Securities

 

The trustee is required to submit an annual report to the holders of the debt securities regarding, among other things, the trustee’s eligibility to serve as such, the priority of the trustee’s claims regarding certain advances made by it, and any action taken by the trustee materially affecting the debt securities.

 

Certificates and Opinions to be Furnished to Trustee

 

Each indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of an indenture, every application by us for action by the trustee shall be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

General

 

We may issue warrants to purchase common units, preferred units or any combination of these securities and these warrants may be issued by us independently or together with any underlying securities and may be attached to or separate from the underlying securities. We will issue each series of warrants under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The warrant agent will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of the series for which it is appointed and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency for or with holders or beneficial owners of warrants of that series.

The following outlines some of the general terms and provisions of the warrants. Further terms of the warrants and the applicable warrant agreement will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The following description and any description of the warrants in a prospectus supplement may not be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, reference to the terms and provisions of the warrant agreement, a form of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement which contains this prospectus.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any warrants that we may offer, including the following:

 

 

Warrant certificates may be exchanged for new warrant certificates of different denominations, and warrants may be exercised at the warrant agent’s corporate trust office or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of their warrants, holders of warrants exercisable for common or preferred units will not have any rights of holders of common or preferred units and will not be entitled to dividend payments, if any, or voting rights of the common or preferred units.

 

Exercise of Warrants

 

A warrant will entitle the holder to purchase for cash an amount of securities at an exercise price that will be stated in, or that will be determinable as described in, the applicable prospectus supplement. The exercise price for the warrants will be subject to adjustment in accordance with the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

 

Warrants may be exercised as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If less than all of the warrants represented by such warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining warrants.

Enforceability of Rights

 

The holders of warrants, without the consent of the warrant agent, may, on their own behalf and for their own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against us to enforce their rights to exercise and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of their warrants.

 

The following is a summary of our limited liability company agreement, as amended through the date of this prospectus. The limited liability company agreement defines the rights and obligations pertaining to the common units.

 

Organization

 

Our company was formed in June 2006 and will remain in existence until dissolved in accordance with our limited liability company agreement.

 

Purpose

 

Under our limited liability company agreement, we are permitted to engage, directly or indirectly, in any activity that our board of directors approves and that a limited liability company organized under Delaware law lawfully may conduct; provided, that our board of directors shall not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activities that it determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.

 

Although our board of directors has the ability to cause us and our operating subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the exploitation, development and production of natural gas reserves, our board of directors has no current plans to do so. Our board of directors is authorized in general to perform all acts it deems to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.

 

Fiduciary Duties

 

Our limited liability company agreement provides that our business and affairs shall be managed under the direction of our board of directors. Our limited liability company agreement further provides that the authority and function of our board of directors and officers shall be identical to the authority and functions of a board of directors and officers of a corporation organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL. However, our directors and officers do not owe us the same duties that the directors and officers of a corporation organized under the DGCL would owe to their corporation. Rather, our limited liability company agreement provides that the fiduciary duties and obligations owed to us and our members by our board of directors and officers is generally to act in good faith in the performance of their duties on behalf. If our conflicts committee approves a transaction involving potential conflicts, or if a transaction is on terms generally available from unaffiliated third parties or an action is taken that is fair and reasonable to the company, unitholders will not be able to assert that such approval constituted a breach of fiduciary duties owed to them by our directors and officers.

 

We are unlike publicly-traded partnerships whose business and affairs are managed by a general partner with fiduciary duties to the partnership. While our manager manages our day-to-day operations pursuant to the management agreement, subject to the oversight of our board of directors, we have no general partner with fiduciary duties to us. Our manager’s duties to us are contractual in nature and arise solely under the management agreement. As a consequence, our manager does not owe a fiduciary duty to us similar to that owed by a general partner to its limited partners or a board of directors to a corporation.

 

Agreement to be Bound by Limited Liability Company Agreement; Power of Attorney

 

By purchasing a common unit in us, you will be admitted as a member of our company and will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the terms of our limited liability company agreement. Pursuant to this agreement, each unitholder and each person who acquires a common unit from a unitholder grants to our board of directors (and, if

appointed, a liquidator) a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our board of directors the authority to make certain amendments to, and to make consents and waivers under and in accordance with, our limited liability company agreement.

 

Capital Contributions

 

Unitholders (including holders of common units) are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “— Limited Liability.”

 

Distributions of Available Cash

 

Overview

 

Our limited liability company agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

 

Definition of Available Cash

 

Available cash generally means, for each fiscal quarter, all cash on hand at the end of the quarter:

 

 

 

 

Working capital borrowings are borrowings that are made under our credit facility or another arrangement and used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to unitholders.

 

Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus

 

General

 

All cash we distribute to unitholders is characterized as either “operating surplus” or “capital surplus.” Our limited liability company agreement requires that we distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus.

 

Definition of Operating Surplus

 

Operating surplus generally means:

 

 

 

If a working capital borrowing, which increases operating surplus, is not repaid during the twelve-month period following the borrowing, it will be deemed repaid at the end of such period, thus decreasing operating surplus at such time. When such working capital borrowing is in fact repaid, it will not be treated as a reduction in operating surplus because operating surplus will have been previously reduced by the deemed repayment.

 

Operating expenditures generally means all of our cash expenditures, including taxes, reimbursement of expenses to our manager, payments made in the ordinary course of business on commodity hedge contracts, director and officer compensation, repayment of working capital borrowings, debt service payments and estimated maintenance capital expenditures, but do not include:

 

 

As described above, operating surplus does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders. For example, it includes a provision that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to $40.0 million of cash we receive in the future from non-operating sources such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. In addition, the effect of including certain cash distributions on equity securities in operating surplus would be to increase operating surplus by the amount of the cash distributions. As a result, we may also distribute as operating surplus up to the amount of the cash distributions we receive from non-operating sources.

 

None of actual maintenance capital expenditures, investment capital expenditures or expansion capital expenditures are subtracted from operating surplus. Because actual maintenance capital expenditures, investment capital expenditures and expansion capital expenditures include interest payments (and related fees) on debt incurred and distributions on equity issued to finance all of the portion of the construction, replacement or improvement of a capital asset (such as equipment or reserves) during the period from when we enter into a binding commitment to commence construction, acquisition or improvement of a capital asset until the earlier to occur of the date any such capital asset is placed into service or the date that it is abandoned or disposed of, such interest payments and equity distributions are also not subtracted from operating surplus (except, in the case of maintenance capital expenditures, to the extent such interest payments and distributions are included in estimated maintenance capital expenditures).

Capital Expenditures

 

Maintenance Capital Expenditures

 

For purposes of determining operating surplus, maintenance capital expenditures are those capital expenditures we expect to make on an ongoing basis to maintain our capital asset base at a steady level over the long term. Examples of maintenance capital expenditures include capital expenditures associated with the replacement of equipment and oil and natural gas reserves (including non-proved reserves attributable to undeveloped leasehold acreage), whether through the development, exploitation and production of an existing leasehold or the acquisition or development of a new oil or natural gas property, and plugging and abandonment costs. Maintenance capital expenditures will also include interest (and related fees) on debt incurred and distributions on equity issued to finance all or any portion of a replacement asset during the period beginning on the date that we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction or development of the replacement asset and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the replacement asset is placed into service or the date that it is abandoned or disposed of. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes will not be considered maintenance capital expenditures.

 

Because our maintenance capital expenditures can be very large and irregular, the amount of our actual maintenance capital expenditures may differ substantially from period to period, which could cause similar fluctuations in the amounts of operating surplus, adjusted operating surplus and cash available for distribution to our unitholders if we subtracted actual maintenance capital expenditures from operating surplus. To eliminate the effect on operating surplus of these fluctuations, our limited liability company agreement requires that an estimate of the average quarterly maintenance capital expenditures (including estimated plugging and abandonment costs) necessary to maintain our asset base over the long term be subtracted from operating surplus each quarter as opposed to the actual amounts spent. The amount of estimated maintenance capital expenditures deducted from operating surplus is subject to review and approval by our board of directors, including a majority of our conflicts committee, at least once a year. We make the estimate at least annually and whenever an event occurs that is likely to result in a material adjustment to the amount of our maintenance capital expenditures, such as a major acquisition or the introduction of new governmental regulations that will impact our business. For purposes of calculating operating surplus, any adjustment to this estimate will be prospective only.

 

The use of estimated maintenance capital expenditures in calculating operating surplus will have the following effects:

 

 

Expansion Capital Expenditures

 

Expansion capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that we expect to make to expand our capital asset base for the longer than short term. Examples of expansion capital expenditures include the acquisition of reserves or equipment, the acquisition of new leasehold interests, or the development, exploitation and production of an existing leasehold interests, to the extent such expenditures are incurred to increase our capital asset base. Expansion capital expenditures will also include interest (and related fees) on debt incurred and distributions on equity issued to finance all or any portion of a capital improvement during the period beginning on the date that we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction or development of the capital improvement and ending on from the earlier to occur of the commencement of construction or the financing of the capital improvement until the

earlier to occur of the date the capital improvement is placed into service or the date that it is abandoned or disposed of. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes will not be considered expansion capital expenditures.

 

Investment Capital Expenditures

 

Investment capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that are neither maintenance capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures. Investment capital expenditures largely will consist of capital expenditures made for investment purposes. Examples of investment capital expenditures include traditional capital expenditures for investment purposes, such as purchases of securities, as well as other capital expenditures that might be made in lieu of such traditional investment capital expenditures, such as the acquisition of a capital asset for investment purposes or development of our undeveloped properties in excess of maintenance capital expenditures, but which are not expected to expand our asset base for more than the short term.

 

Capital expenditures that are made in part for maintenance capital purposes and in part for investment capital or expansion capital purposes will be allocated as maintenance capital expenditures, investment capital expenditures or expansion capital expenditure by our board of directors, including a majority of our conflicts committee, based upon its good faith determination.

 

Definition of Capital Surplus

 

Capital surplus will generally be generated only by:

 

 

Characterization of Cash Distributions

 

We will treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since we began operations equals the operating surplus as of the most recent date of determination of available cash. We will treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.

 

Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus

 

We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter in the following manner:

 

 

The Class A units will be entitled to 2% of all cash distributions from operating surplus, without any requirement for future capital contributions by the holders of such Class A units, even if we issue additional common units or other senior or subordinated equity securities in the future. The percentage interests shown above for the Class A units assume they have not been converted into common units. If the Class A units have been converted, the common units will receive the 2% of distributions originally allocated to the Class A units.

 

Management Incentive Interests

 

Management incentive interests represent the right to receive increasing amounts of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after we have made payments in excess of the First Target Distribution and the tests described below have been met. Our manager currently holds the management incentive interests, which are

evidenced by the Class C limited liability company interests, but may transfer these rights separately from its Class A units, subject to restrictions in our limited liability company agreement.

 

Before the end of the Incentive Trigger Period, we will not pay any management incentive distributions. To the extent, however, that during the Incentive Trigger Period we distribute available cash from operating surplus in excess of the First Target Distribution, our board of directors intends to cause us to reserve an amount for payment of a one-time management incentive distribution earned during the Incentive Trigger Period, after such period ends. If during the Incentive Trigger Period we fail to satisfy a condition specified in the next paragraph, our board of directors will cause any such reserved amount to be released from that reserve and restored to available cash.

 

The 12-Quarter Test and the 4-Quarter Test

 

We will make management incentive payments if two tests are met. The first test is the 12-Quarter Test, which requires that for the 12 full, consecutive, non-overlapping calendar quarters that begin with the first calendar quarter with respect to which we pay per unit cash distributions from operating surplus to holders of Class A and common units in an amount equal to or greater than the First Target Distribution (we refer to such 12-quarter period as the Incentive Trigger Period):

 

 

The second test is the 4-Quarter Test, which requires that for each of (i) the last four full, consecutive, non-overlapping calendar quarters in the Incentive Trigger Period, or (ii) any four full, consecutive and non-overlapping quarters occurring after such last four quarters in the Incentive Trigger Period, provided that we have paid at least the IQD in each calendar quarter occurring between the end of the Incentive Trigger Period and the beginning of the four full, consecutive and non-overlapping quarters that satisfy the 4-Quarter Test, or (iii) any four full, consecutive and non-overlapping quarters occurring partially within and partially after such last four quarters of the Incentive Trigger Period:

 

 

If both the 12-Quarter Test and 4-Quarter Test have been met, then:

 

 

 

 

Effective April 27, 2009, we suspended further unitholder distributions pursuant to the merger agreement among us, Atlas America, Inc., Atlas Energy Management, Inc. and ATLS Merger Sub, LLC dated of even date. Our suspension of the quarterly distribution for the three months ended March 31, 2009 means that we will not comply with the terms of the 12 quarter test and, as such, Atlas Energy Management will not receive the management incentive distributions that were reserved for during previous periods.

 

Definition of Adjusted Operating Surplus

 

Adjusted operating surplus generally means, for any period:

 

 

Adjusted operating surplus is intended to reflect the cash generated from our operations during a particular period and therefore excludes net increases in working capital borrowings and net drawdowns of reserves of cash generated in prior periods.

Percentage Allocations of Available Cash from Operating Surplus

 

The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of the available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and the owner of our management incentive interests up to various distribution levels. The amounts set forth under “Marginal percentage interest in distributions” are the percentage interests of our Class A unitholders and common unitholders and the holders of our management incentive interests in any available cash from operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column “Quarterly distribution level,” until available cash from operating surplus we distribute reaches the next distribution level, if any. The percentage interests shown for the IQD are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the IQD. The percentage interests shown in the table below assume that the Class A units have not been converted into common units as described herein.

 

 

 

 

Distributions from Capital Surplus

 

How We Will Make Distributions from Capital Surplus

 

We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:

 

 

Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus

 

Our limited liability company agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial common unit price from our initial public offering, which is a return of capital. We refer to the initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per common unit as the “unrecovered initial common unit price.” Each time we make a distribution of capital surplus, the IQD, the First Target Distribution and the Second Target Distribution will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial common unit price. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the IQD, after we make any of these distributions, it may be easier for our manager to receive management incentive distributions. However, any distribution of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial common unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the IQD.

 

Once we distribute capital surplus on a common unit issued in our initial public offering in an amount equal to the initial common unit price, we will reduce the IQD, the First Target Distribution and the Second Target Distribution to zero. We will then make all future distributions from operating surplus, with 2% being distributed to the holder of our Class A units, 73% being distributed to our common unitholders, pro rata, and 25% being distributed to the holder of our management incentive interests. The percentage interests shown above for the

Class A units assume they have not been converted into common units. If the Class A units have been converted, the common units will receive the 2% of distributions originally allocated to the Class A units.

 

Adjustment to the IQD and Target Distribution Levels

 

In addition to adjusting the IQD, First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our common units into fewer common units or subdivide our common units into a greater number of common units, we will proportionately adjust:

 

 

For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the First Target Distribution, the Second Target Distribution and the unrecovered initial common unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level. We will not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.

 

In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a court of competent jurisdiction so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, we will reduce the IQD, the First Target Distribution and the Second Target Distribution for each quarter by multiplying each by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter (after deducting our board of directors’ estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation) and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter plus our board of directors’ estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, we will account for the difference in subsequent quarters.

 

Distributions of Cash upon Liquidation

 

General

 

If we dissolve in accordance with our limited liability company agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and our manager in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.

 

Manner of Adjustments for Gain

 

The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in our limited liability company agreement, and requires that we will allocate any gain to the unitholders and holders of the Class A units in the following manner:

 

 

(1) the unrecovered initial common unit price; and

 

(2) the amount of the IQD for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs; and

 

 

(1) the amount described above under the second bullet point of this paragraph; and

 

(2) the excess of (I) over (II), where

(I) equals the sum of the excess of the First Target Distribution per common unit over the IQD for each quarter of our existence; and

 

(II) equals the cumulative amount per common unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the IQD per common unit that we distributed 98% to our common unitholders, pro rata, for each quarter of our existence; and

 

 

(1) the amount described above under the second bullet point of this paragraph; and

 

(2) the excess of (I) over (II), where

 

(I) equals the sum of the excess of the Second Target Distribution per common unit over the First Target Distribution for each quarter of our existence; and

 

(II) equals the cumulative amount per common unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the First Target Distribution per common unit that we distributed 83% to our common unitholders, pro rata, for each quarter of our existence; and

 

 

Manner of Adjustments for Losses

 

Upon our liquidation, we will generally allocate any loss 2% to the holder of the Class A units and 98% to the holders of the outstanding common units, pro rata.

 

Adjustments to Capital Accounts

 

We will make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional common units. In doing so, we will allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the holder of the Class A units, the common unitholders, and the holders of the management incentive interests in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation. In the event that we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional common units, we will allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional common units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in the capital account balances of the holders of the management incentive interests equaling the amount which they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.

 

Limited Liability

 

The Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, which we refer to as the Delaware Act, provides that any unitholder who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the company for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a limited liability company may not make a distribution to any unitholder if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the company, other than liabilities to unitholders on account of their limited liability company interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the company, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the company. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a company, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the company only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. Under the Delaware Act, an assignee who becomes a substituted unitholder of a company is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the company, except the assignee is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a unitholder and that could not be ascertained from the limited liability company agreement.

Our subsidiaries currently conduct business only in Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia. We may decide to conduct business in other states, and maintenance of limited liability for us, as a member of our operating subsidiaries, may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating subsidiaries conduct business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there. Limitations on the liability of unitholders for the obligations of a limited liability company have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. We will operate in a manner that our board of directors considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of our unitholders.

 

Voting Rights

 

Holders of our common units and our Class A units have voting rights on most matters. Our manager currently owns all of our Class A units and Atlas America owns 29,352,996 of our common units. Our manager also owns all of our management incentive interests, which do not have voting rights. The following matters require a unitholder vote:

 

 

Matters requiring the approval of a common unit majority require the approval of a majority of the outstanding common units voting together as a single class and matters requiring the approval of a Class A unit majority require the approval of a majority of the outstanding Class A units voting together as a single class.

 

Elimination of Special Voting Rights of Class A Units

 

The class voting right of the Class A units can be eliminated only upon a proposal submitted by or with the consent of our board of directors and the vote of the holders of at least 66 2 / 3 % of our outstanding common units. If such elimination is so approved, the Class A units will automatically convert into common units on a one-for-one basis and our manager will have the right to convert its management incentive interests into common units based on their then fair market value.

 

Issuance of Additional Securities

 

Our limited liability company agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional securities and authorizes us to buy securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our board of directors without the approval of the unitholders.

 

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional units or other equity securities. Holders of any additional units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units, Class A units and management incentive interests in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional units or other equity securities may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of units in our net assets.

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our limited liability company agreement, we may also issue additional securities that, as determined by our board of directors, may have special voting or other rights to which the units are not entitled.

 

The holders of units will not have preemptive or preferential rights to acquire additional units or other securities.

 

Election of Members of Our Board of Directors

 

Our board of directors is elected by our Class A units and our common unitholders, voting together as a single class. The board of directors is be subject to a re-election on an annual basis at our annual meeting of members.

 

Removal of Members of Our Board of Directors

 

Any director may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units and Class A units then entitled to vote at an election of directors, voting as a single class.

 

Increase in the Size of Our Board of Directors

 

The size of our board of directors may increase only with the approval of a majority of the directors. If the size of our board of directors is so increased, the vacancy created thereby shall be filled by a person appointed by our board of directors until the next annual meeting of members.

 

Amendment of Our Limited Liability Company Agreement

 

General

 

Amendments to our limited liability company agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our board of directors. To adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our board of directors is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the unitholders to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a majority of the common units and the Class A units, voting together as a single class.

 

Prohibited Amendments

 

No amendment may be made that would:

 

 

The provision of our limited liability company agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in any of the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding common units, voting together as a single class, and 75% of the outstanding Class A units, voting together as a single class.

 

No Unitholder Approval

 

Our board of directors may generally make amendments to our limited liability company agreement without the approval of any unitholder or assignee to reflect:

 

 

 

In addition, our board of directors may make amendments to our limited liability company agreement without the approval of any unitholder or assignee if our board of directors determines that those amendments:

 

 

Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval

 

Our board of directors will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to our unitholders or result in our being treated as an entity for federal income tax purposes if one of the amendments described above under “— No Unitholder Approval” should occur. No other amendments to our limited liability company agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding common units and Class A units unless we obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any unitholder of our company.

 

Any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of unitholders whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

 

Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets

 

Our board of directors is generally prohibited, without the prior approval of the holders of a common unit majority and Class A unit majority, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination, or approving on our behalf the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries, provided that our board of directors may mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our board of directors may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon the encumbrances above without that approval.

 

If the conditions specified in our limited liability company agreement are satisfied, our board of directors may merge our company or any of its subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly-formed entity if the sole purpose of that merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity. Our unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our limited liability company agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a merger or consolidation, a sale of all or substantially all of our assets or any other transaction or event.

 

Termination and Dissolution

 

We will continue as a company until terminated under our limited liability company agreement. We will dissolve upon: (1) the election of our board of directors to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of a common unit majority and Class A unit majority; (2) the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets and properties of our company and our subsidiaries; or (3) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our company.

 

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

 

Upon our dissolution, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our board of directors that the liquidator deems necessary or desirable in its judgment, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in “— Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation.”

 

The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to unitholders in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our unitholders.

 

Anti-Takeover Provisions

 

Our limited liability company agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to take control of our company without the approval of our board of directors. Specifically, our limited liability company agreement provides that we will elect to have Section 203 of the DGCL apply to transactions in which an interested common unitholder (as described below) seeks to enter into a merger or business

combination with us. Under this provision, such a holder will not be permitted to enter into a merger or business combination with us unless:

 

 

Section 203 defines “business combination” to include:

 

 

In general, an “interested common unitholder” is any person or entity, other than Atlas America, our manager, their affiliates or transferees, that beneficially owns (or within three years did own) 15% or more of the outstanding common units of the company and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.

 

The existence of this provision would be expected to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by our board of directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for common units held by common unitholders.

 

Our limited liability agreement also restricts the voting rights of common unitholders by providing that any units held by a person that owns 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, other than Atlas America, our manager, their affiliates or transferees and persons who acquire such units with the prior approval of our board of directors, cannot vote on any matter.

Limited Call Right

 

If at any time any person owns more than 87.5% of the then-issued and outstanding membership interests of any class, such person will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the remaining membership interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our management, on at least 10 but not more than 60 days’ notice. The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our limited liability company agreement or applicable Delaware law if this limited call right is exercised. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:

 

 

As a result of this limited call right, a holder of membership interests in our company may have his membership interests purchased at an undesirable time or price. Please read “Risk factors — Risks Related to Our Structure.” The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his units in the market. Please read “Material Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units.”

 

Meetings; Voting

 

Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of units then outstanding, unitholders on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our unitholders and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.

 

All notices of meetings of unitholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with our limited liability company agreement not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting. The notice shall specify the place, date and hour of the meeting and (i) in the case of a special meeting, the general nature of the business to be transacted (no business other than that specified in the notice may be transacted) or (ii) in the case of the annual meeting, those matters which the board of directors, at the time of giving the notice, intends to present for action by the unitholders (but any proper matter may be presented at the meeting for such action). The notice of any meeting at which directors are to be elected shall include the name of any nominee or nominees who, at the time of the notice, the board of directors intends to present for election. Any previously scheduled meeting of the unitholders may be postponed, and any special meeting of the unitholders may be cancelled, by resolution of the board of directors upon public notice given prior to the date previously scheduled for such meeting of unitholders.

 

Units that are owned by an assignee who is a record holder, but who has not yet been admitted as a member, shall be voted at the written direction of the record holder by a proxy designated by our board of directors. Absent direction of this kind, the units will not be voted, except that units held by us on behalf of non-citizen assignees shall be voted in the same ratios as the votes of unitholders on other units are cast.

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken by our unitholders may be taken at a duly called annual or special meeting of unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units as would be necessary to authorize or take the action at a meeting. Special meetings of the unitholders may be called only by the chairman or vice chairman of our board of directors, our chief executive officer, president or board of directors.

 

Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.

 

Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional units having special voting rights could be issued. Please read “— Issuance of Additional Securities” above. However, if at any time any person or group, other than Atlas America, our manager and their affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of Atlas America, our manager or their affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding

when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes. Units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.

 

Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of units will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

 

Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption

 

If we or any of our subsidiaries are or become subject to federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our board of directors, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any unitholder or assignee, we may redeem, upon 30 days’ advance notice, the units held by the unitholder or assignee at their current market price. To avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our board of directors may require each unitholder or assignee to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or related status. If a unitholder or assignee fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our board of directors determines after receipt of the information that the unitholder or assignee is not an eligible citizen, the unitholder or assignee may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. In addition to other limitations on the rights of an assignee who is not a substituted unitholder, a non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his units and may not receive distributions in kind upon our liquidation.

 

Indemnification

 

Under our limited liability company agreement and subject to specified limitations, we will indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events any person who is or was our director or officer, or while serving as our director or officer, is or was serving as a tax matters member or, at our request, as a director, manager, officer, tax matters member, employee, partner, fiduciary or trustee of us or any of our subsidiaries. Additionally, we shall indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law and authorized by our board of directors, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events any person is or was an employee or agent (other than an officer) of our company.

 

Any indemnification under our limited liability company agreement will only be out of our assets. We are authorized to purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our limited liability company agreement.

 

Books and Reports

 

We are required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

 

We will furnish or make available to record holders of units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.

 

We will furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. We furnish this information in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of unitholders can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with information.

Right to Inspect Our Books and Records

 

Our limited liability company agreement provides that a unitholder can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a unitholder, upon reasonable demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:

 

 

Our board of directors may, and intends to, keep confidential from our unitholders information that it believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or other information, the disclosure of which our board of directors believes in good faith is not in our best interests, information that could damage our company or our business, or information that we are required by law or by agreements with a third party to keep confidential.

 

Registration Rights

 

Under our limited liability company agreement, we have agreed to register for sale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws (subject to certain limitations) any common units proposed to be sold by Atlas America, our manager or any of their affiliates if an exemption from the registration requirements is not available. These registration rights require us to file up to three registration statements. We have also agreed to include any securities held by Atlas America, our manager or any of their affiliates in any registration statement that we file to offer securities for cash, except an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan and other similar exceptions. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.

MATERIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

This section is a discussion of the material tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Ledgewood, P.C., counsel to us and our manager, insofar as it relates to matters of United States federal income tax law and legal conclusions with respect to those matters. This section is based on current provisions of the Code, existing and proposed regulations and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “us” or “we” are references to us and our and our subsidiaries.

 

This section does not address all federal income tax matters that affect us or the unitholders. Furthermore, this section focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds. Accordingly, we urge each prospective unitholder to consult, and depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of our common units.

 

No ruling has been or will be requested from the IRS regarding any matter that affects us or prospective unitholders. Instead, we will rely on opinions and advice of Ledgewood. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions

and statements made in this discussion may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our common units and the prices at which our common units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and thus will be borne directly by our unitholders. Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.

 

All statements regarding matters of law and legal conclusions set forth below, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Ledgewood and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us. Statements of fact do not represent opinions of Ledgewood.

 

For the reasons described below, Ledgewood has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues:

 

(1) the treatment of a unitholder whose units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of units (please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership— Treatment of Short Sales”);

 

(2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”);

 

(3) whether percentage depletion will be available to a unitholder or the extent of the percentage depletion deduction available to any unitholder (please read “— Tax Treatment of Operations — Depletion Deductions”); and

 

(4) whether the deduction related to United States production activities will be available to a unitholder or the extent of such deduction to any unitholder (please read “— Tax Treatment of Operations — Deduction for United States Production Activities”).

 

Partnership Status

 

Except as discussed in the following paragraph, a limited liability company that has more than one member and that has not elected to be treated as a corporation is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and, therefore, is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, even if no cash distributions are made to him. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of his adjusted basis in his partnership interest.

 

Section 7704 of the Code provides that publicly-traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to in this discussion as the “Qualifying Income Exception,” exists with respect to publicly-traded partnerships 90% or more of the gross income of which for every taxable year consists of “qualifying income.” Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, transportation and marketing of natural resources, including oil, natural gas, and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include fee-based income derived from the drilling, management and operation of oil and natural gas wells for our investment partnerships, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 1% of our current income does not constitute qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based on and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us, and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Ledgewood is of the opinion that more than 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income can change from time to time.

 

No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS, and the IRS has made no determination as to our status or the status of our operating subsidiaries for federal income tax purposes or whether our operations generate “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Code. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Ledgewood. Ledgewood is of the opinion, based upon the Code, its regulations, published revenue rulings, court decisions and the representations

described below, that we will be classified as a partnership, and each of our operating subsidiaries will be disregarded as an entity separate from us, for federal income tax purposes.

 

In rendering its opinion, Ledgewood has relied on factual representations made by us. The representations made by us upon which Ledgewood has relied include:

 

(a) Neither we, nor any of our subsidiaries, have elected nor will we elect to be treated as a corporation; and

 

(b) For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income will be income that Ledgewood has opined or will opine is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code.

 

If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery, we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation would be tax-free to unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.

 

If we were taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to the unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as taxable dividend income to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis in his units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholder’s cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the units.

 

The remainder of this section is based on Ledgewood’s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

 

Unitholder Status

 

Unitholders who become our members will be treated as our partners for federal income tax purposes. Also, assignees who have executed and delivered transfer applications, and are awaiting admission as members, and unitholders whose units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their units will be treated as our partners for federal income tax purposes.

 

Because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing the federal tax treatment of assignees of units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to direct the exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications, the opinion of Ledgewood does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other transferee of units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of units unless the units are held in a nominee or street name account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application for those units.

 

A beneficial owner of units whose units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those units for federal income tax purposes. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales.”

 

Items of our income, gain, loss, or deduction are not reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore be fully taxable as ordinary income. These unitholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the consequences of their status as partners in us for federal income tax purposes.

Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership

 

Flow-through of Taxable Income

 

We do not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder is required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether corresponding cash distributions are received by him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year or years ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.

 

Treatment of Distributions

 

Distributions made by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to him for federal income tax purposes to the extent of his tax basis in his units immediately before the distribution. Cash distributions made by us to a unitholder in an amount in excess of his tax basis in his units generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of those units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under “— Disposition of Common Units” below. To the extent that cash distributions made by us cause a unitholder’s “at risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read “— Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

 

Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss, known as “non-recourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution of cash to that unitholder. A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash, which may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his units, if the distribution reduces the unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including recapture of intangible drilling costs, depletion and depreciation recapture, and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” all as defined in Section 751 of the Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, he will be treated as having received his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the actual distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income. That income will equal the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder’s tax basis for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.

 

Basis of Common Units

 

A unitholder’s initial tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for the units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis generally will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions to him from us, by his share of our losses, by depletion deductions taken by him to the extent such deductions do not exceed his proportionate share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying producing properties, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities will generally be based on his share of our profits. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Limitations on Deductibility of Losses

 

The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to his tax basis in his common units and, in the case of an individual unitholder or a corporate unitholder, if more than 50% of the value of its stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals or some tax-exempt organizations, to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities, if that amount is less than his tax basis. A unitholder must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction in a later year to the extent that his tax basis or at-risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, is subsequently increased. Upon the taxable disposition of a common unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at-risk

limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any excess loss above that gain previously suspended by the at risk or basis limitations is no longer utilizable.

 

In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of his tax basis in his common units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the common units for repayment. A unitholder’s at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s common units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Moreover, a unitholder’s at risk amount will decrease by the amount of the unitholder’s depletion deductions and will increase to the extent of the amount by which the unitholder’s percentage depletion deductions with respect to our property exceed the unitholder’s share of the basis of that property.

 

The at risk limitation applies on an activity-by-activity basis, and in the case of natural gas and oil properties, each property is treated as a separate activity. Thus, a taxpayer’s interest in each oil or gas property is generally required to be treated separately so that a loss from any one property would be limited to the at risk amount for that property and not the at risk amount for all the taxpayer’s natural gas and oil properties. It is uncertain how this rule is implemented in the case of multiple natural gas and oil properties owned by a single entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. However, for taxable years ending on or before the date on which further guidance is published, the IRS will permit aggregation of oil or gas properties we own in computing a unitholder’s at risk limitation with respect to us. If a unitholder must compute his at risk amount separately with respect to each oil or gas property we own, he may not be allowed to utilize his share of losses or deductions attributable to a particular property even though he has a positive at risk amount with respect to his common units as a whole.

 

The passive loss limitation generally provides that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely held corporations and personal service corporations are permitted to deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally defined as trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitation is applied separately with respect to each publicly-traded partnership. Consequently, any losses we generate will be available to offset only our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including our investments, a unitholder’s investments in other publicly-traded partnerships, or a unitholder’s salary or active business income. If we dispose of all or only part of our interest in an oil or gas property, unitholders will be able to offset their suspended passive activity losses from our activities against the gain, if any, on the disposition. Any previously suspended losses in excess of the amount of gain recognized will remain suspended. Notwithstanding whether a natural gas and oil property is a separate activity, passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted by the unitholder in full only when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive activity loss rules are applied after certain other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the tax basis limitation.

 

A unitholder’s share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly-traded partnerships.

Limitation on Interest Deductions

 

The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:

 

 

The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a common unit.

 

Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment. The IRS has indicated that net passive income earned by a publicly-traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders. In addition, the unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.

 

Entity-level Collections

 

If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state or local income tax on behalf of any unitholder or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a unitholder whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend our limited liability company agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of common units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our limited liability company agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of a unitholder in which event the unitholder would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.

 

Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction

 

In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. If we have a net loss for an entire year, the loss will be allocated to our unitholders according to their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital account balances.

 

Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction have been and will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Code to account for the difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of our initial public offering, which assets are referred to in this discussion as “Contributed Property.” These allocations are required to eliminate the difference between a partner’s “book” capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and the “tax” capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the “book-tax disparity.” In the event we issue additional units or engage in certain other transactions in the future, Section 704(c) allocations will be made to all holders of partnership interests to account for the difference between the “book” basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held by us at the time of the future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by other unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible.

An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by Section 704(c), will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a unitholder’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a unitholder’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:

 

 

Ledgewood is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election,” “— Uniformity of Common Units” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” allocations under our limited liability company agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a unitholder’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.

 

Treatment of Short Sales

 

A unitholder whose common units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be a partner for tax purposes with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:

 

 

Because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on the issue, Ledgewood has not rendered an opinion regarding the treatment of a unitholder whose units are loaned to a short seller. Therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from loaning their units. The IRS has announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Tax Rates

 

In general, the highest effective federal income tax rate for individuals currently is 35% and the maximum federal income tax rate for net capital gains of an individual currently is 15% if the asset disposed of was held for more than 12 months at the time of disposition.

 

Section 754 Election

 

We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. That election will generally permit us to adjust a unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Code to reflect his purchase price. The Section 743(b) adjustment does not apply to a person who purchases units directly from us, and it belongs only to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. Please also read, however, “— Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” above. For purposes of this discussion, a unitholder’s inside basis in our assets has two components: (1) his share of our tax basis in our assets (“common basis”) and (2) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.

 

Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Code require, if the remedial allocation method is adopted (which we have adopted), a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to recovery property to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the Section 704(c) built-in gain.

A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is higher than the units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depletion and depreciation deductions and his share of any gain on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is lower than those units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built-in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally a built-in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.

 

The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment we allocated to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, an intangible asset, is generally either nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS or that the resulting deductions will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.

 

Tax Treatment of Operations

 

Accounting Method and Taxable Year

 

We use the accrual method of accounting and the tax year ending December 31 for federal income purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a different taxable year than our taxable year and who disposes of all of his units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in income for his taxable year his share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”

 

Depletion Deductions

 

Subject to the limitations on deductibility of losses discussed above, unitholders will be entitled to deductions for the greater of either cost depletion or (if otherwise allowable) percentage depletion with respect to our natural gas and oil interests. Although the Code requires each unitholder to compute his own depletion allowance and maintain records of his share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying property for depletion and other purposes, we intend to furnish each of our unitholders with information relating to this computation for federal income tax purposes.

 

Percentage depletion is generally available with respect to unitholders who qualify under the independent producer exemption contained in Section 613A(c) of the Code. For this purpose, an independent producer is a person not directly or indirectly involved in the retail sale of oil, natural gas, or derivative products or the operation of a major refinery. Percentage depletion is calculated as an amount generally equal to 15% (and, in the case of marginal production, potentially a higher percentage) of the unitholder’s gross income from the depletable property for the taxable year. The percentage depletion deduction with respect to any property is limited to 100% of the taxable income of the unitholder from the property for each taxable year, computed without the depletion allowance. A unitholder that qualifies as an independent producer may deduct percentage depletion only to the extent the unitholder’s daily production of domestic crude oil, or the natural gas equivalent, does not exceed 1,000 barrels. This depletable amount may be allocated between natural gas and oil production, with 6,000 cubic

feet of domestic natural gas production regarded as equivalent to one barrel of crude oil. The 1,000 barrel limitation must be allocated among the independent producer and controlled or related persons and family members in proportion to the respective production by such persons during the period in question.

 

In addition to the foregoing limitations, the percentage depletion deduction otherwise available is limited to 65% of a unitholder’s total taxable income from all sources for the year, computed without the depletion allowance, net operating loss carrybacks, or capital loss carrybacks. Any percentage depletion deduction disallowed because of the 65% limitation may be deducted in the following taxable year if the percentage depletion deduction for such year plus the deduction carryover does not exceed 65% of the unitholder’s total taxable income for that year. The carryover period resulting from the 65% net income limitation is indefinite.

 

Unitholders that do not qualify under the independent producer exemption are generally restricted to depletion deductions based on cost depletion. Cost depletion deductions are calculated by (i) dividing the unitholder’s share of the adjusted tax basis in the underlying mineral property by the number of mineral units (barrels of oil and Mcf of natural gas) remaining as of the beginning of the taxable year and (ii) multiplying the result by the number of mineral units sold within the taxable year. The total amount of deductions based on cost depletion cannot exceed the unitholder’s share of the total adjusted tax basis in the property.

 

All or a portion of any gain recognized by a unitholder as a result of either the disposition by us of some or all of our natural gas and oil interests or the disposition by the unitholder of some or all of his units may be taxed as ordinary income to the extent of recapture of depletion deductions, except for percentage depletion deductions in excess of the basis of the property. The amount of the recapture is generally limited to the amount of gain recognized on the disposition.

 

The foregoing discussion of depletion deductions does not purport to be a complete analysis of the complex legislation and Treasury Regulations relating to the availability and calculation of depletion deductions by the unitholders. Further, because depletion is required to be computed separately by each unitholder and not by our partnership, no assurance can be given, and counsel is unable to express any opinion, with respect to the availability or extent of percentage depletion deductions to the unitholders for any taxable year. We encourage each prospective unitholder to consult his tax advisor to determine whether percentage depletion would be available to him.

 

Deductions for Intangible Drilling and Development Costs

 

Under our existing investment partnership agreements, all intangible drilling and development costs, which we refer to as IDCs, are allocated to investors in the partnerships and none to us. IDCs generally include our expenses for wages, fuel, repairs, hauling, supplies and other items that are incidental to, and necessary for, the drilling and preparation of wells for the production of oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy. The option to currently deduct IDCs applies only to those items that do not have a salvage value.

 

In future investment partnerships, a portion of IDCs may be allocated to us. In addition, we may undertake drilling for our own account. Should we be entitled to IDCs, we will elect to currently deduct them.

 

Although we will elect to currently deduct IDCs that may be available to us, each unitholder will have the option of either currently deducting IDCs or capitalizing all or part of the IDCs and amortizing them on a straight-line basis over a 60-month period, beginning with the taxable month in which the expenditure is made. If a unitholder makes the election to amortize the IDCs over a 60-month period, no IDC preference amount will result for alternative minimum tax purposes.

 

Integrated oil companies must capitalize 30% of all their IDCs (other than IDCs paid or incurred with respect to natural gas and oil wells located outside of the United States) and amortize these IDCs over 60 months beginning in the month in which those costs are paid or incurred. If the taxpayer ceases to be an integrated oil company, it must continue to amortize those costs as long as it continues to own the property to which the IDCs relate. An “integrated oil company” is a taxpayer that has economic interests in crude oil deposits and also carries on substantial retailing or refining operations. An oil or gas producer is deemed to be a substantial retailer or refiner if it is subject to the rules disqualifying retailers and refiners from taking percentage depletion. In order to qualify as an “independent producer” that is not subject to these IDC deduction limits, a unitholder, either directly or indirectly through certain related parties, may not be involved in the refining of more than 75,000 barrels of oil (or the equivalent amount of

natural gas) on average for any day during the taxable year or in the retail marketing of natural gas and oil products exceeding $5 million per year in the aggregate.

 

IDCs previously deducted that are allocable to property (directly or through ownership of an interest in a partnership) and that would have been included in the adjusted basis of the property had the IDC deduction not been taken are recaptured to the extent of any gain realized upon the disposition of the property or upon the disposition by a unitholder of interests in us. Recapture is generally determined at the unitholder level. Where only a portion of the recapture property is sold, any IDCs related to the entire property are recaptured to the extent of the gain realized on the portion of the property sold. In the case of a disposition of an undivided interest in a property, a proportionate amount of the IDCs with respect to the property is treated as allocable to the transferred undivided interest to the extent of any gain recognized. See “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Deduction for United States Production Activities

 

Subject to the limitations on the deductibility of losses discussed above and the limitation discussed below, unitholders will be entitled to a deduction, herein referred to as the Section 199 deduction, equal to a specified percentage of our qualified production activities income that is allocated to such unitholder. The percentages are 6% for qualified production activities income generated in the year 2009, and 9% thereafter.

 

Qualified production activities income is generally equal to gross receipts from domestic production activities reduced by cost of goods sold allocable to those receipts, other expenses directly associated with those receipts, and a share of other deductions, expenses and losses that are not directly allocable to those receipts or another class of income. The products produced must be manufactured, produced, expanded or extracted in whole or in significant part by the taxpayer in the United States.

 

For a partnership, the Section 199 deduction is determined at the partner level. To determine his Section 199 deduction, each unitholder will aggregate his share of the qualified production activities income allocated to him from us with the unitholder’s qualified production activities income from other sources. Each unitholder must take into account his distributive share of the expenses allocated to him from our qualified production activities regardless of whether we otherwise have taxable income. However, our expenses that otherwise would be taken into account for purposes of computing the Section 199 deduction are only taken into account if and to the extent the unitholder’s share of losses and deductions from all of our activities is not disallowed by the basis rules, the at-risk rules or the passive activity loss rules. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

 

The amount of a unitholder’s Section 199 deduction for each year is limited to 50% of the IRS Form W-2 wages paid by the unitholder during the calendar year that are deducted in arriving at qualified production activities income. Each unitholder is treated as having been allocated IRS Form W-2 wages from us equal to the unitholder’s allocable share of our wages that are deducted in arriving at our qualified production activities income for that taxable year. It is not anticipated that we or our subsidiaries will pay material wages that will be allocated to our unitholders.

 

This discussion of the Section 199 deduction does not purport to be a complete analysis of the complex legislation and Treasury authority relating to the calculation of domestic production gross receipts, qualified production activities income, or IRS Form W-2 Wages, or how such items are allocated by us to unitholders. Further, because the Section 199 deduction is required to be computed separately by each unitholder, no assurance can be given, and counsel is unable to express any opinion, as to the availability or extent of the Section 199 deduction to the unitholders. Each prospective unitholder is encouraged to consult his tax advisor to determine whether the Section 199 deduction would be available to him.

Lease Acquisition Costs

 

The cost of acquiring natural gas and oil leaseholder or similar property interests is a capital expenditure that must be recovered through depletion deductions if the lease is productive. If a lease is proved worthless and abandoned, the cost of acquisition less any depletion claimed may be deducted as an ordinary loss in the year the lease becomes worthless. Please read “Tax Treatment of Operations — Depletion Deductions.”

 

Geophysical Costs

 

The costs of geophysical exploration incurred in connection with the exploration and development of oil and gas properties in the United States are deducted ratably over a 24-month period beginning on the date that such expense is paid or incurred.

 

Operating and Administrative Costs

 

Amounts paid for operating a producing well are deductible as ordinary business expenses, as are administrative costs to the extent they constitute ordinary and necessary business expenses which are reasonable in amount.

 

Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization

 

The tax basis of our assets, such as casing, tubing, tanks, pumping units and other similar property, will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to (i) [this offering] will be borne by our existing unitholders, and (ii) any other offering will be borne by our unitholders as of that time. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.”

 

To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets are placed in service. Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Code.

 

If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure, or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in us. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

The costs incurred in selling our common units (called “syndication expenses”) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which we may be able to amortize, and as syndication expenses, which we may not amortize. The underwriting discounts and commissions we incurred in our initial public offering and may incur in future offerings will be treated as syndication expenses.

 

Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties

 

The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of common units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values and the tax bases of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.

Disposition of Common Units

 

Recognition of Gain or Loss

 

Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of common units equal to the difference between the unitholder’s amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the units sold. A unitholder’s amount realized will equal the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property he receives plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.

 

Prior distributions from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s tax basis in that unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.

 

Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a “dealer” in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit held for more than one year will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. A portion of this gain or loss, which may be substantial, however, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to “unrealized receivables” or “inventory items” that we own. The term “unrealized receivables” includes potential recapture items, including depreciation, depletion, and IDC recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables and inventory items may exceed net taxable gain realized on the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of units. Net capital loss may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gain in the case of corporations.

 

The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an “equitable apportionment” method. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the regulations, may designate specific units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and those Treasury Regulations.

 

Specific provisions of the Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an “appreciated” partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:

 

 

Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer who enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.

Allocations between Transferors and Transferees

 

In general, our taxable income or loss will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to as the allocation date. However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among the unitholders on the allocation date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.

 

Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Code and most publicly-traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations and there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on the issue. Accordingly, Ledgewood is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between unitholders although Ledgewood has advised us that our decision to use this method is a reasonable interpretation of the Treasury Regulations. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between unitholders, as well as among unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.

 

A unitholder who owns units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.

 

Notification Requirements

 

A unitholder who sells any of his units, other than through a broker, generally is required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A person who purchases units from another unitholder is required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase, unless a broker or nominee will satisfy such requirement. We are required to notify the IRS of any such transfers of units and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a transfer of units may lead to the imposition of substantial penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker.

 

Constructive Termination

 

We will be considered to have terminated for tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than 12 months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns (and unitholders receiving two Schedule K-1s) for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all unitholders. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination.

 

Uniformity of Common Units

 

Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the common units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the common units. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.”

We intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized book-tax disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the common basis of that property, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable, consistent with the regulations under Section 743 of the Code. This method is consistent with the Treasury Regulations applicable to all of our depreciable property.

 

Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors

 

Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them.

 

Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them.

 

A regulated investment company, or “mutual fund,” is required to derive at least 90% of its gross income from certain permitted sources. Income from the ownership of units in a “qualified publicly-traded partnership” is generally treated as income from a permitted source. We expect that we will meet the definition of a qualified publicly-traded partnership.

 

Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of units. As a consequence they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Under rules applicable to publicly-traded partnerships, we will withhold tax, at the highest effective applicable rate, from cash distributions made quarterly to foreign unitholders. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8 BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.

 

In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “U.S. net equity,” that is effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a “qualified resident.” In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Code.

 

Under a ruling issued by the IRS, a foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit will be subject to federal income tax on gain realized on the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a United States trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Apart from the ruling, a foreign unitholder will not be taxed or subject to withholding upon the sale or disposition of a unit if he has owned less than 5% in value of the units during the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition and if the units are regularly traded on an established securities market at the time of the sale or disposition.

 

Administrative Matters

 

Information Returns and Audit Procedures

 

We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder’s share of income, gain, loss and deduction.

We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor counsel can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the units.

 

The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year’s tax liability and possibly may result in an audit of his own return. Any audit of a unitholder’s return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.

 

Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Code requires that one partner be designated as the tax matters partner for these purposes. The limited liability company agreement appoints our manager as our tax matters partner.

 

The tax matters partner will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of unitholders. In addition, the tax matters partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The tax matters partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the tax matters partner. The tax matters partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the tax matters partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.

 

A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.

 

Nominee Reporting

 

Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:

 

 

 

 

Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are United States persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.

 

Accuracy-related Penalties

 

An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements

of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.

 

For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000. The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:

 

 

If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders could result in that kind of an “understatement” of income for which no “substantial authority” exists, we would be required to disclose the pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules would apply to an understatement of tax resulting from ownership of units if we were classified as a “tax shelter.” We believe we will not be classified as a tax shelter.

 

A substantial valuation misstatement exists if the value of any property, or the adjusted basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or adjusted basis. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for a corporation other than an S Corporation or a personal holding company). If the valuation claimed on a return is 200% or more than the correct valuation, the penalty imposed increases to 40%.

 

Reportable Transactions

 

If we were to engage in a “reportable transaction,” we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a “listed transaction” or that it produces certain kinds of losses in excess of $2 million. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) is audited by the IRS. Please read “— Information Returns and Audit Procedures” above.

 

Moreover, if we were to participate in a listed transaction or a reportable transaction (other than a listed transaction) with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, you could be subject to the following provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004:

 

 

We do not expect to engage in any reportable transactions.

 

State, Local and Other Tax Considerations

 

In addition to federal income taxes, you will be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. We currently do business and own assets in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia. We may also own property or do business in other states in the future. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us. You may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some states because your income from that state falls below the filing

and payment requirement. You will be required, however, to file state income tax returns and to pay state income taxes in many of the states in which we may do business or own property, and you may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some states, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and also may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the states may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the state. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the state, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld may be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Entity-Level Collections.” Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, we anticipate that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.

 

It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent states and localities, of his investment in us. Ledgewood has not rendered an opinion on the state local, or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend on, its own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. It is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all tax return that may be required.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may distribute our securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices. We may change these prices from time to time. We may also distribute our securities at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. We will describe the distribution method for each offering in a prospectus supplement.

 

We may sell our securities in any of the following ways:

 

 

The prospectus supplement or any other offering materials we may use for a particular offering will set forth the terms of the securities we offer, the terms of the offering, purchase price, the proceeds we will receive from the offering, any delayed delivery arrangements, any underwriting arrangements, including underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation, and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers. We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments which they may be required to make.

 

If we use underwriters in the sale, the securities we offer will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Our securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. The underwriter or underwriters with respect to a particular underwritten offering of our securities will be named in the prospectus supplement or any other offering materials relating to that offering, and if an underwriting syndicate is used, the managing underwriter or underwriters will be set forth on the cover of that prospectus supplement or in the other offering materials.

 

If we use dealers in an offering of our securities, we will sell the shares to the dealers as principals. The dealers may then resell the shares to the public at varying prices to be determined by those dealers at the time of resale. The names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction will be set forth in a prospectus supplement or other offering materials. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

We may also offer our securities directly, or though agents we designate, from time to time at fixed prices, which we may change, or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. We will name any agent we use and describe the terms of the agency, including any commission payable by us to the agent, in a prospectus supplement or other offering materials. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement or any other offering materials, any agent we use will act on a reasonable best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

 

In certain states, our securities may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, our securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in that state or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with.

 

Any common units sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement or any other offering materials will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or other national securities exchange. Preferred units, warrants and debt securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange.

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal and tax matters will be passed on for us by Ledgewood.

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements of Atlas Energy Resources, LLC incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement, have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report (which report expressed an unqualified opinion and contains an explanatory paragraph relating to the Company’s adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 47 in 2006) of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing in giving said report.

 

The financial statements of DTE Gas & Oil Company incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement, have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing in giving said report.

 

ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC

ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC

ATLAS ENERGY FINANCE CORP.

 

 

Common Units

Preferred Units

Warrants

Debt Securities

Guarantees

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

          

 

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

 

Set forth below are the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) we expect to pay in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities registered hereby. With the exception of the SEC registration fee, the amounts set forth below are estimated:

 

 

 

 

 

The section of the prospectus entitled “Our Limited Liability Company Agreement — Indemnification” discloses that we will generally indemnify our directors, officers, managers and affiliates to the fullest extent permitted by the law against all losses, claims, damages or similar events and is incorporated herein by this reference. Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the limited liability company agreement, Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Act empowers a Delaware limited liability company to indemnify and hold harmless any member or other persons from and against all claims and demands whatsoever.

 

To the extent that the indemnification provisions of our limited liability company agreement purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is contrary to public policy and is therefore unenforceable.

 

 

The Exhibits furnished as part of this registration statement on Form S-3 are identified in the Exhibit Index immediately following the signature pages of this registration statement. Such Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

(a) Each of the undersigned registrants hereby undertakes:

 

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no

more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.

 

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs 1(i), (1)(ii) and 1(iii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

(A) Each prospectus filed by a registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however , that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to the purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of an undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of an undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of an undersigned registrant or used or referred to by an undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about an undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of an undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by an undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of such registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(7) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrants pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by a registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

(8) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC

 

Matthew A. Jones
Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC

 

Matthew A. Jones
Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS ENERGY FINANCE CORP.

 

Matthew A. Jones
Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS ENERGY MICHIGAN, LLC

 

Matthew A. Jones
Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS GAS & OIL COMPANY, LLC

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

WESTSIDE PIPELINE COMPANY, LLC

 

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS ENERGY TENNESSEE, LLC

 

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS ENERGY INDIANA, LLC

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

AIC, LLC

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS ENERGY OHIO, LLC

 

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS RESOURCES, LLC

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS NOBLE, LLC

 

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

ATLAS AMERICA, LLC

 

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

AER PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION, INC.

 

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

VIKING RESOURCES, LLC

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

RESOURCE ENERGY, LLC

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

RESOURCE WELL SERVICES, LLC

 

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 2009.

 

REI-NY, LLC

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

KNOWN ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the persons whose signatures appear below, constitute and appoint Richard D. Weber and Matthew A. Jones, and each of them, as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and conforming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on July 8, 2009.

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

The following exhibits are filed herewith pursuant to the requirements of Item 601 of Regulation S-K:

 

 

 

 

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