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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
December 31, 2008
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
ENERGY TRANSFER EQUITY, L.P.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
         
Delaware   001-32740   30-0108820
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission   (IRS Employer
of incorporation)   File Number)   Identification Number)
3738 Oak Lawn Avenue
Dallas, TX 75219
(Address of principal executive offices)
(214) 981-0700
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


 

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.
     Pursuant to Listed Company Manual Section 303A.12 of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), all listed companies, including Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (the “Partnership”), are required to submit a written affirmation annually to the NYSE. The written affirmation requires the Partnership to make certain statements relating to the Partnership’s compliance with the NYSE’s corporate governance listing standards. Exhibit G to the annual written affirmation requires the Partnership to specify the location of certain disclosures required by Section 303A.
     As previously reported, on November 7, 2007, the Board of Directors of the General Partner of the Partnership approved an amendment to the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, and this amendment became effective on November 9, 2007. This amendment changed the fiscal year of the Partnership from a year ending on August 31 to a year ending on December 31.
     In connection with the change in fiscal year, the Partnership filed (i) a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-month period ending November 30, 2007 and (ii) a Transition Report on Form 10-Q for the four-month period ending December 31, 2007. The Partnership will file Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K based on calendar quarters and calendar years, respectively. As permitted under SEC rules, the Partnership has not yet filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2008. In order to make its 2008 annual written affirmation to the NYSE, the Partnership is filing certain information typically included in Item 10 of its Annual Report on Form 10-K on this Current Report on Form 8-K.
     In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information set forth in this Item 7.01 is deemed to be “furnished” and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
Corporate Governance
The Board of Directors of LE GP, LLC, our General Partner, has adopted both a Code of Business Conduct applicable to our Directors, Officers and Employees, and Corporate Governance Guidelines for Directors and the Board. Current copies of our Code of Business Conduct, Corporate Governance Guidelines and charters applicable to the committees of our Board of Directors are available on our website at www.energytransfer.com and will be provided in print form to any Unitholder requesting such information.
Annual Certification
In fiscal 2007, our President and Chief Financial Officer provided to the New York Stock Exchange the annual CEO certification regarding our compliance with the New York Stock Exchange’s corporate governance listing standards.
Audit Committee
The Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors appoints persons who are independent under the NYSE’s standards for audit committee members to serve on its Audit Committee. In addition, the Board determines that at least one member of the Audit Committee has such accounting or related financial management expertise sufficient to qualify such person as the audit committee financial expert in accordance with Item 401 of Regulation S-K.
On May 3, 2006 and within the timeframe of our IPO specified for establishment of an independent Audit Committee by NYSE corporate governance standards, John D. Harkey, Jr., Paul E. Glaske and Bill W. Byrne were elected as members of the Audit Committee. Mr. Harkey was elected Chair of the Committee. Mr. Harkey currently serves as a member or chairman of the audit committee of four other publicly traded companies, in addition to his service as a member of the Audit Committee of our General Partner and the Audit Committee of the General Partner of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (“ETP”). As required by Rule

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303A.07 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual, the Board of Directors of our General Partner has determined that such simultaneous service does not impair Mr. Harkey’s ability to effectively serve on our Audit Committee.
Compensation and Nominating/Corporate Governance Committees
We are not required under NYSE rules to appoint a Compensation Committee or a Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee because we are a limited partnership.
Code of Business Conduct
The Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct applicable to our officers, directors and employees. Specific provisions are applicable to the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer and controller, or those persons performing similar functions, of our General Partner. The Code of Business Conduct is available on our website at www.energytransfer.com and in print to any Unitholder that requests it. Amendments to, or waivers from, the Code of Business Conduct will also be available on our website and reported as may be required under SEC rules, however, any technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments to the Code of Business Conduct may not be posted. Please note that the preceding Internet address is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a hyperlink. Accordingly, no information found and/or provided at such Internet addresses or at our website in general is intended or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein.
Meetings of Non-management Directors and Communications with Directors
Our non-management Directors meet in regularly scheduled sessions. Our non-management directors alternate as the presiding director of such meetings.
The Partnership has established a procedure by which Unitholders or interested parties may communicate directly with the Board of Directors, any committee of the Board, any of the Partnership’s independent directors, or any one director serving on the Board of Directors by sending written correspondence addressed to the desired person, committee or group to the attention of Sonia Aube at Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., 3738 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75219. Communications are distributed to the Board of Directors, or to any individual director or directors as appropriate, depending on the facts and circumstances outlined in the communication.

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SIGNATURES
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
             
    Energy Transfer Equity, L.P.    
 
           
 
  By:   LE GP, LLC,    
 
      its general partner    
 
           
Date: December 31, 2008
      /s/ John W. McReynolds    
 
     
 
John W. McReynolds
   
 
      President and Chief Financial Officer