Debt | Debt Debt and capital lease obligations at December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2016 consisted of the following and are further discussed below: December 31, 2015 Principal Balances Unamortized Debt Financing Costs Balance, Net of Financing Costs 7.5% Notes(1) $ 150,000 $ 399 $ 149,601 SLG Notes 145,000 38 144,962 5.25% Notes 250,000 3,985 246,015 Canton Bonds 10,910 514 10,396 Capital lease obligations 6,448 — 6,448 Other debt 10,056 328 9,728 Total debt and capital lease obligations 572,414 5,264 567,150 Less amounts due within one year (150,129 ) (273 ) (149,856 ) Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations $ 422,285 $ 4,991 $ 417,294 September 30, 2016 Principal Balances Unamortized Debt Financing Costs Balance Net of Financing Costs 7.5% Notes(1) $ 150,000 $ 304 $ 149,696 5.25% Notes 179,600 2,037 177,563 Canton Bonds 9,520 409 9,111 Capital lease obligations 5,886 — 5,886 Other debt 10,535 171 10,364 Total debt and capital lease obligations 355,541 2,921 352,620 Less amounts due within one year (5,028 ) (177 ) (4,851 ) Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations $ 350,513 $ 2,744 $ 347,769 (1) Included in the 7.5% Notes is $ 65,000 in principal amount held by T. Boone Pickens, which is classified as “Long-term debt, related party” on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. See the description below for additional information. 7.5% Notes On July 11, 2011, the Company entered into a loan agreement (the “CHK Agreement”) with Chesapeake NG Ventures Corporation (“Chesapeake”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, whereby Chesapeake agreed to purchase from the Company up to $150,000 of debt securities pursuant to the issuance of three convertible promissory notes over a three -year period, each having a principal amount of $50,000 (each a “CHK Note” and collectively the “CHK Notes” and, together with the CHK Agreement and other transaction documents, the “CHK Loan Documents”). The first CHK Note was issued on July 11, 2011 and the second CHK Note was issued on July 10, 2012. On June 14, 2013 (the “Transfer Date”), T. Boone Pickens and Green Energy Investment Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. (collectively, the “Buyers”), and Chesapeake entered into a note purchase agreement (“Note Purchase Agreement”) pursuant to which Chesapeake sold the outstanding CHK Notes (the “Sale”) to the Buyers. Chesapeake assigned to the Buyers all of its right, title and interest under the CHK Loan Documents (the “Assignment”), and each Buyer severally assumed all of the obligations of Chesapeake under the CHK Loan Documents arising after the Sale and the Assignment including, without limitation, the obligation to advance an additional $50,000 to the Company in June 2013 (the “Assumption”). The Company also entered into the Note Purchase Agreement for the purpose of consenting to the Sale, the Assignment and the Assumption. Contemporaneously with the execution of the Note Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a loan agreement with each Buyer (collectively, the “Amended Agreements”). The Amended Agreements have the same terms as the CHK Agreement, other than changes to reflect the new holders of the CHK Notes. Immediately following execution of the Amended Agreements, the Buyers delivered $50,000 to the Company in satisfaction of the funding requirement they had assumed from Chesapeake (the “2013 Advance”). In addition, the Company canceled the existing CHK Notes and issued replacement notes, and the Company also issued notes to the Buyers in exchange for the 2013 Advance (the replacement notes and the notes issued in exchange for the 2013 Advance are referred to herein as the “ 7.5% Notes”). The 7.5% Notes have the same terms as the CHK Notes, other than the changes to reflect their different holders. They bear interest at the rate of 7.5% per annum and are convertible at the option of the holder into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $15.80 per share (the “ 7.5% Notes Conversion Price”). Upon written notice to the Company, each holder of a 7.5% Note has the right to exchange all or any portion of the principal and accrued and unpaid interest under its 7.5% Notes for shares of the Company’s common stock at the 7.5% Notes Conversion Price. Additionally, subject to certain restrictions, the Company can force conversion of each 7.5% Note into shares of its common stock if, following the second anniversary of the issuance date of a 7.5% Note, such shares trade at a 40% premium to the 7.5% Notes Conversion Price for at least 20 trading days in any consecutive 30 trading day period. The entire principal balance of each 7.5% Note is due and payable seven years following its issuance and the Company may repay each 7.5% Note at maturity in shares of its common stock (with a value determined by the per share volume weighted-average price for the 20 trading days prior to the maturity date) or cash. All of the shares issuable upon conversion of the 7.5% Notes have been registered for resale by their holders pursuant to a registration statement that has been filed with and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Amended Agreements provide for customary events of default which, if any of them occurs, would permit or require the principal of, and accrued interest on, the 7.5% Notes to become, or to be declared, due and payable. No events of default under the 7.5% Notes had occurred as of September 30, 2016 . On August 27, 2013, Green Energy Investment Holdings, LLC transferred $5,000 in principal amount of its 7.5% Notes to certain third parties. As a result of the foregoing transactions, (i) T. Boone Pickens holds 7.5% Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $65,000 , (ii) Green Energy Investment Holdings, LLC holds 7.5% Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $80,000 , and (iii) other third parties hold 7.5% Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $5,000 . SLG Notes On August 24, 2011, the Company entered into convertible note purchase agreements (each, an “SLG Agreement” and collectively the “SLG Agreements”) with certain purchasers (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which the Purchasers agreed to purchase from the Company $150,000 of 7.5% convertible promissory notes due in August 2016 (each a “SLG Note” and collectively the “SLG Notes”). The transaction closed and the SLG Notes were issued on August 30, 2011. On March 1, 2016, and pursuant to the consent of the holders of the SLG Notes, the Company prepaid in cash an aggregate of $60,000 in principal amount and $1,812 in accrued and unpaid interest owed under the SLG Notes. On July 14, 2016, the Company entered into separate privately negotiated exchange agreements with each holder of an SLG Note to exchange the outstanding principal amount of each SLG Note, totaling $85,000 for all SLG Notes and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, totaling $248 for all SLG Notes, for an aggregate of 14,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock and $38,155 in cash. The value of the shares of the Company's common stock issued to the holders of the SLG Notes in the exchange has been excluded from the Company's condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, as it is a non-cash financing activity. The Company recognized a loss of $891 in the three months ended September 30, 2016, related to the settlement of the SLG Notes for the Company's common stock. The repurchased and exchanged SLG Notes have been terminated and canceled in full and the Company has no further obligations under the SLG Notes. 5.25% Notes In September 2013, the Company completed a private offering of $250,000 in principal amount of 5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2018 (the “ 5.25% Notes”) and entered into an indenture governing the 5.25% Notes (the “Indenture”). The net proceeds from the sale of the 5.25% Notes after the payment of certain debt issuance costs of $7,805 were $242,195 . The Company has used the net proceeds from the sale of the 5.25% Notes to fund capital expenditures and for general corporate purposes. The 5.25% Notes bear interest at a rate of 5.25% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on October 1 and April 1 of each year, beginning on April 1, 2014. The 5.25% Notes will mature on October 1, 2018, unless purchased, redeemed or converted prior to such date in accordance with their terms and the terms of the Indenture. Holders may convert their 5.25% Notes, at their option, at any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the maturity date of the 5.25% Notes. Upon conversion, the Company will deliver a number of shares of its common stock, per $1 principal amount of 5.25% Notes, equal to the conversion rate then in effect (together with a cash payment in lieu of any fractional shares). The initial conversion rate for the 5.25% Notes is 64.1026 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1 principal amount of 5.25% Notes (which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $15.60 per share of the Company’s common stock). The conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain specified events as described in the Indenture. Upon the occurrence of certain corporate events prior to the maturity date of the 5.25% Notes, the Company will, in certain circumstances, in addition to delivering the number of shares of the Company’s common stock deliverable upon conversion of the 5.25% Notes based on the conversion rate then in effect (together with a cash payment in lieu of any fractional shares), pay holders that convert their 5.25% Notes a cash make-whole payment in an amount as calculated in accordance with the Indenture. The Company may, at its option, irrevocably elect to settle its obligation to pay any such make-whole payment in shares of its common stock instead of in cash. The amount of any make-whole payment, whether it is settled in cash or in shares of the Company’s common stock upon the Company’s election, will be determined based on the date on which the corporate event occurs or becomes effective and the stock price paid (or deemed to be paid) per share of the Company’s common stock in the corporate event, as described in the Indenture. The Company may not redeem the 5.25% Notes prior to October 5, 2016. On or after October 5, 2016, the Company may, at its option, redeem for cash all or any portion of the 5.25% Notes if the closing sale price of the Company’s common stock for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during any 30 consecutive trading day period ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which notice of redemption is provided, exceeds 160% of the conversion price on each applicable trading day. In the event of the Company’s redemption of the 5.25% Notes, the redemption price will equal 100% of the principal amount of the 5.25% Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. No sinking fund is provided for in the 5.25% Notes. If the Company undergoes a fundamental change (as defined in the Indenture) prior to the maturity date of the 5.25% Notes, subject to certain conditions as described in the Indenture, holders may require the Company to purchase, for cash, all or any portion of their 5.25% Notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 5.25% Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the fundamental change purchase date. The Indenture contains customary events of default with customary cure periods, including, without limitation, failure to make required payments or deliveries of shares of the Company’s common stock when due under the Indenture, failure to comply with certain covenants under the Indenture, failure to pay when due or acceleration of certain other indebtedness of the Company or certain of its subsidiaries, and certain events of bankruptcy and insolvency of the Company or certain of its subsidiaries. The occurrence of an event of default under the Indenture will allow either the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then-outstanding 5.25% Notes to accelerate, or upon an event of default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company, will automatically cause the acceleration of, all amounts due under the 5.25% Notes. No events of default under the 5.25% Notes had occurred as of September 30, 2016 . The 5.25% Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company and rank senior in right of payment to the Company’s future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the 5.25% Notes; equal in right of payment to the Company’s unsecured indebtedness that is not so subordinated; effectively junior to any of the Company’s secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally junior to all indebtedness (including trade payables) of the Company’s subsidiaries. The Company's board of directors has authorized and approved the use of up to $50,000 to purchase outstanding 5.25% Notes in the open market, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture. Pursuant to this approval, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 , respectively, the Company paid an aggregate of $ 1,180 and $24,883 , respectively, in cash to repurchase and retire $ 1,400 and $45,400 , respectively, in aggregate principal amount of the 5.25% Notes, together with $28 and $766 , respectively, in accrued and unpaid interest thereon. Additionally, pursuant to a privately negotiated exchange agreement with certain holders of the 5.25% Notes, on May 4, 2016, the Company issued 6,265,829 shares of its common stock in exchange for an aggregate principal amount of $25,000 of 5.25% Notes held by such holders, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon. The value of the shares of the Company's common stock issued to the holders of the 5.25% Notes in the exchange has been excluded from the Company's condensed consolidated statements of cash flows as it is a non-cash financing activity. The Company's repurchase and exchange of 5.25% Notes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 resulted in a total gain of $223 and $26,266 for such periods, respectively. All repurchased and exchanged 5.25% Notes have been surrendered to the trustee for such notes and canceled. PlainsCapital Bank Credit Facility On February 29, 2016, the Company entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (“LSA”) with PlainsCapital Bank (“Plains”), pursuant to which Plains agreed to lend the Company up to $50,000 on a revolving basis from time to time for a term of one year (the “Credit Facility”). All amounts advanced under the Credit Facility are due and payable on February 28, 2017. Simultaneously, the Company drew down $50,000 under this Credit Facility, which the Company repaid in full on August 31, 2016. The Credit Facility is evidenced by a promissory note the Company issued on February 29, 2016 in favor of Plains (the “Plains Note”). Interest on the Plains Note is payable monthly and accrues at a rate equal to the greater of (i) the then-current LIBOR rate plus 2.30% or (ii) 2.70% . As collateral security for the prompt payment in full when due of the Company's obligations to Plains under the LSA and the Plains Note, the Company pledged to and granted Plains a security interest in all of its right, title and interest in the cash and corporate and municipal bonds rated AAA, AA or A by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services that the Company holds in an account at Plains. In connection with such pledge and security interest granted under the Credit Facility, on February 29, 2016, the Company entered into a Pledged Account Agreement with Plains and PlainsCapital Bank - Wealth Management and Trust (the “Pledge Agreement” and collectively with the LSA and the Plains Note, the “Plains Loan Documents”).The Plains Loan Documents include certain covenants of the Company and also provide for customary events of default, which, if any of them occurs, would permit or require, among other things, the principal of, and accrued interest on, the Credit Facility to become, or to be declared, due and payable. Events of default under the Plains Loan Documents include, among others, the occurrence of certain bankruptcy events, the failure to make payments when due under the Plains Note and the transfer or disposal of the collateral under the LSA. No amounts were outstanding under the Credit Facility as of September 30, 2016 and no events of default under the Plains Loan Documents had occurred as of September 30, 2016 . On October 31, 2016 the LSA was amended solely to extend the Credit Facility's maturity date from February 28, 2017 to September 30, 2018. Canton Bonds On March 19, 2014, Canton Renewables, LLC (“Canton”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, completed the issuance of Solid Waste Facility Limited Obligation Revenue Bonds (Canton Renewables, LLC — Sauk Trail Hills Project) Series 2014 in the aggregate principal amount of $12,400 (the “Canton Bonds”). The Canton Bonds were issued by the Michigan Strategic Fund (the “Issuer”) and the proceeds of such issuance were loaned by the Issuer to Canton pursuant to a loan agreement that became effective on March 19, 2014 (the “Loan Agreement”). The Canton Bonds are expected to be repaid from revenue generated by Canton from the sale of RNG and are secured by the revenue and assets of Canton. The Canton Bond repayments will be amortized through July 1, 2022, the average coupon interest rate on the Canton Bonds is 6.6% , and all but $1,000 of the principal amount of the Canton Bonds is non-recourse to Canton’s parent companies, including the Company. Canton used the Canton Bond proceeds primarily to (i) refinance the cost of constructing and equipping its RNG extraction and production project in Canton, Michigan and (ii) pay a portion of the costs associated with the issuance of the Canton Bonds. The refinancing described in the prior sentence was accomplished through distributions to Canton's direct and indirect parent companies who provided the financing for the RNG production facility, and such companies have used such distributions to finance construction of additional RNG extraction and processing projects and for working capital purposes. The Loan Agreement contains customary events of default, with customary cure periods, including, without limitation, failure to make required payments when due under the Loan Agreement, failure to comply with certain covenants under the Loan Agreement, certain events of bankruptcy and insolvency of Canton, and the existence of an event of default under the indenture governing the Canton Bonds that was entered into between the Issuer and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. The occurrence of an event of default under the Loan Agreement will allow the Issuer or the trustee to, among other things, accelerate all amounts due under the Loan Agreement. No events of default under the Loan Agreement had occurred as of September 30, 2016 . Other Debt The Company has other debt due at various dates through 2023 bearing interest at rates up to 22.34% and with a weighted average interest rate of 6.35% and 5.11% as of December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2016 , respectively. |