As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 28, 2010

Registration No. 333-

 

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		94-3283464
(State or other jurisdiction of		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)

2295 Iron Point Road, Suite 200
Folsom, CA 95630
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Waste Connections, Inc. Third Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
(Full title of the plan)

Patrick J. Shea, Esq.		Copies to:
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary		Keith Benson, Esq.
Waste Connections, Inc.		Latham & Watkins LLP
2295 Iron Point Road, Suite 200		505 Montgomery Street, Suite 2000
Folsom, CA 95630		San Francisco, California 94111
(916) 608-8200		(415) 391-0600

(Name and address, including zip code, and telephone
number, including area code, of agent for service)

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 the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

þ Large accelerated filer		o Accelerated filer		o Non-accelerated filer		o Smaller reporting company

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Proposed maximum

Amount to be

Proposed maximum offering

aggregate offering

Amount of

Title of securities to be registered

registered (1)

price per share (2)

price (2)

registration fee

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

1,000,000 Shares

$

40.62

$40,620,000 (2)

$

2,896.21

 

 

INTRODUCTION

By a registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-117764) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“the Commission”) on July 29, 2004, Waste Connections, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), previously registered 2,250,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), reserved for issuance from time to time in connection with the Waste Connections, Inc. Third Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). In May 2006, the Plan was amended to decrease the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance from time to time under the Plan by 400,000 shares to 1,850,000 shares. Subsequently, pursuant to a 3:2 stock split of the Company’s Common Stock in March 2007, the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance from time to time under the Plan increased to 2,775,000 shares. In May 2008, the stockholders of the Company approved an amendment to the Plan that increased the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance from time to time under the Plan by 1,000,000 shares to 3,775,000 shares, and the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-153621) on September 22, 2008 with respect to such shares. In May 2010, the stockholders of the Company approved an amendment and restatement of the Plan pursuant to which the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance from time to time under the Plan was increased by an additional 1,000,000 shares to 4,775,000 shares. This registration statement is registering the additional 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance from time to time under the Plan in connection with the May 2010 amendment and restatement. The contents of the prior registration statements on Form S-8 with respect to the Plan (File Nos. 333-117764 and 333-153621) are incorporated herein by reference.

PART II
Information Required in the Registration Statement

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The Commission allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this registration statement, and information that we file later with the Commission will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the following documents we have filed, or may file, with the Commission:

	(1)		Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed on February 9, 2010;
	(2)		Our Proxy Statement for our 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), filed on March 25, 2010, as amended by the definitive additional proxy materials filed on May 3, 2010;
	(3)		Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010, June 30, 2010 and September 30, 2010, filed on April 21, 2010, July 21, 2010 and October 20, 2010, respectively;
	(4)		Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 10, 2010;
	(6)		The description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on October 18, 2002; and
	(7)		All documents we file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or that deregisters all securities covered hereby then remaining unsold, are deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and are a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Any information that we later file with the Commission will automatically update and supersede the information and statements contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein. Any such information or statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute part of this registration statement. Under no circumstances will any information filed under items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K be deemed incorporated herein by reference unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a director will not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability:

•

for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders;

•

for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

•

for unlawful payments of dividends, stock purchases or redemptions prohibited by Delaware corporate law; or

•

for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended in the future to permit further limitation of the personal liability of directors, the liability of a director of the Company will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by that amended law.

Section 145(a) of the Delaware Law provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the Delaware Law states that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

Section 145(c) of the Delaware Law provides that to the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

Section 145(d) of the Delaware Law states that any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because the person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (i) by a majority of the directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iv) by the stockholders.

Section 145(e) of the Delaware Law provides that expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in Section 145. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former officers and directors or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems appropriate.

Section 145(f) of the Delaware Law states that the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.

Section 145(g) of the Delaware Law provides that a corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of Section 145.

Section 145(j) of the Delaware Law states that the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, Section 145 shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

Pursuant to Section 145 of the Delaware Law, the Company has purchased insurance on behalf of its present and former directors and officers against any liability asserted against or incurred by them in such capacity or arising out of their status as such. The Company has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and officers providing for mandatory indemnification and advancement of expenses to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware Law.

Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

	4.1			Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed on July 24, 2007).
	4.2			Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant, effective May 15, 2009 (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on April 23, 2009).
	4.3			Form of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form S-1/A filed on May 6, 1998).
	4.4			Third Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed on July 21, 2010).
	5.1			Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
	23.1			Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
	23.2			Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto).
	24.1			Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this registration statement).

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned registrant 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 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 (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in 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.

(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.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 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.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant 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 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Folsom, State of California, on October 28, 2010.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Ronald J. Mittelstaedt and Worthing F. Jackman, and each or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments or any abbreviated registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) increasing the number of securities for which registration is sought) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, 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 he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, 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 by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

/s/ Ronald J. Mittelstaedt   Ronald J. Mittelstaedt		Chief Executive Officer and Chairman  (principal executive officer)		October 28, 2010
/s/ Worthing F. Jackman   Worthing F. Jackman		Executive Vice President and  Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer)		October 28, 2010
/s/ David G. Eddie   David G. Eddie		Vice President — Chief Accounting Officer  (principal accounting officer)		October 28, 2010
/s/ Michael W. Harlan		Director		October 28, 2010
Michael W. Harlan
/s/ William J. Razzouk		Director		October 28, 2010
William J. Razzouk
/s/ Robert H. Davis		Director		October 28, 2010
Robert H. Davis
/s/ Edward E. Guillet		Director		October 28, 2010
Edward E. Guillet

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT				DESCRIPTION
	4.1			Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed on July 24, 2007).
	4.2			Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant, effective May 15, 2009 (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on April 23, 2009).
	4.3			Form of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form S-1/A filed on May 6, 1998).
	4.4			Third Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to the exhibit filed with the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed on July 21, 2010).
	5.1			Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
	23.1			Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
	23.2			Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto).
	24.1			Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this registration statement).