Arch Coal Earns Three Top West Virginia Safety and Environmental Awards; Garners 10 Awards Overall

CHARLESTON, W.Va., Jan. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) today announced that its Appalachian operations earned 10 prestigious safety and environmental awards in West Virginia, including three of the state's top honors for mine reclamation and mine safety.

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Tygart Valley's Leer mine received West Virginia's top environmental achievement today. The West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) presented the new Leer mine with the 2013 Greenlands Award for the industry's best overall environmental design and construction.

This marks the tenth Greenlands Award presented to an Arch subsidiary since 2001.

The West Virginia DEP also presented four statewide environmental awards for exhibiting exemplary construction and innovative drainage techniques to Arch Coal's Mingo Logan Coal Company and its Mountain Laurel mining complex, Coal-Mac's Pine Branch mine and Vindex Energy. Wolf Run's Sentinel mine earned a West Virginia Reclamation Award for its outstanding coal refuse reclamation techniques.

Furthermore, Arch's Coal-Mac, Inc. was selected for the 2013 West Virginia Good Neighbor Award for its exceptional performance in community outreach and good neighbor practices.

In addition to earning six state environmental awards, Arch subsidiaries garnered four West Virginia safety awards yesterday.

Coal-Mac's Holden 22 mine earned the 2013 Bart B. Lay, Jr. Milestones of Safety Award for achieving the best safety performance among West Virginia surface coal mines in 2013.

Mountain Laurel's Mountaineer II mine earned the 2013 Eustace E. Frederick Milestones of Safety Award for achieving the best safety performance among large underground coal mines in West Virginia.

Two other Arch subsidiary operations and facilities achieved West Virginia Mountaineer Guardian Awards for exemplary safety records achieved during calendar year 2013: Mountain Laurel's Cardinal preparation plant and the Sentinel mine.

"Year after year, our West Virginia miners continue to prove themselves as leaders in safety and environmental care," said Paul A. Lang, Arch's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "It's an honor and a privilege to be recognized statewide by government regulators and industry peers for our deep commitment to responsible practices."

U.S.-based Arch Coal Inc. is one of the world's top coal producers for the global steel and power generation industries, serving customers on five continents. Its network of mining complexes is the most diversified in the United States, spanning every major coal basin in the nation. The company controls more than 5 billion tons of high-quality metallurgical and thermal coal reserves, with access to all major railroads, inland waterways and a growing number of seaborne trade channels. For more information, visit www.archcoal.com.

SOURCE Arch Coal Inc.