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DEBT
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
DEBT
DEBT

Revolving Credit Agreement
During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the balance under our $1.5 billion five-year revolving credit agreement (the Revolving Credit Agreement) increased by $109.6 million, which we used for general partnership purposes and to fund our capital expenditures. The Revolving Credit Agreement matures on October 29, 2019 and bears interest, at our option, based on an alternative base rate, a LIBOR-based rate or a EURIBOR-based rate. The interest rate on the Revolving Credit Agreement is subject to adjustment if our debt rating is downgraded (or upgraded) by certain credit rating agencies. As of September 30, 2016, our weighted-average interest rate related to borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement was 2.3%, and we had $992.2 million outstanding.

As of September 30, 2016, our consolidated debt coverage ratio (as defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement) could not exceed 5.00-to-1.00. The requirement not to exceed a maximum consolidated debt coverage ratio may limit the amount we can borrow under the Revolving Credit Agreement to an amount less than the total amount available for borrowing. As of September 30, 2016, letters of credit issued under the Revolving Credit Agreement totaled $15.8 million, and we had $491.9 million available for borrowing. Our management believes that we are in compliance with the covenants in the Revolving Credit Agreement as of September 30, 2016.

Gulf Opportunity Zone Revenue Bonds
In 2008, 2010 and 2011, the Parish of St. James, Louisiana issued, pursuant to the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005, an aggregate $365.4 million of tax-exempt revenue bonds (the GoZone Bonds) associated with our St. James, Louisiana terminal expansions. The GoZone Bonds bear interest based on a weekly tax-exempt bond market interest rate, and interest is paid monthly. The weighted-average interest rate was 0.9% as of September 30, 2016. Following the issuances, the proceeds were deposited with a trustee and are disbursed to us upon our request for reimbursement of expenditures related to our St. James terminal expansions. We include the amount remaining in trust in “Other long-term assets, net,” and we include the amount of bonds issued in “Long-term debt” on the consolidated balance sheets. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the amount received from the trustee totaled $12.0 million and $13.6 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2016, the amount remaining in trust totaled $42.8 million.

Receivables Financing Agreement
NuStar Energy and NuStar Finance LLC (NuStar Finance), a special purpose entity and wholly owned subsidiary of NuStar Energy, are parties to a $125.0 million receivables financing agreement with third-party lenders (the Receivables Financing Agreement) and agreements with certain of NuStar Energy’s wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively with the Receivables Financing Agreement, the Securitization Program). NuStar Finance’s sole business consists of purchasing receivables from certain of NuStar Energy’s wholly owned subsidiaries and providing these receivables as collateral under the Securitization Program. NuStar Finance is a separate legal entity and the assets of NuStar Finance, including these accounts receivable, are not available to satisfy the claims of creditors of NuStar Energy, its subsidiaries selling receivables under the Securitization Program or their affiliates. The amount available for borrowing is based on the availability of eligible receivables and other customary factors and conditions.

Borrowings by NuStar Finance under the Receivables Financing Agreement bear interest at either the applicable commercial paper rate or the applicable bank rate, each as defined under the Receivables Financing Agreement. The Securitization Program has an initial termination date of June 15, 2018, with the option to renew for additional 364-day periods thereafter. As of September 30, 2016, $102.5 million of our accounts receivable are included in the Securitization Program. The amount of borrowings outstanding under the Receivables Financing Agreement totaled $43.2 million as of September 30, 2016, which is included in “Long-term debt” on the consolidated balance sheet.