New Initiative Launched To Highlight Benefits Of Coal To St. Louis Region

ST. LOUIS, May 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A new advertising campaign launched today highlights the vital role that clean coal plays in keeping St. Louis skies blue and energy bills low. The multi-media campaign consists of billboards, bus signage and radio spots and aims to educate St. Louisans on the economic and environmental benefits of today's coal-fueled electricity.

The campaign touts "Today's Coal. Blue Skies. Life Empowered." and is sponsored by Peabody Energy. It spotlights the fact that coal leads to low-cost electricity that powers the economy, creates jobs and helps family budgets. The campaign also celebrates the substantial emissions improvements made in recent decades to clear St. Louis skies.

"More than 80 percent of Missouri's electricity is powered by coal and, in turn, our state's electricity rates are among the lowest in the United States. By comparison, Californians pay electricity rates more than 60 percent greater than those in our state," said Peabody Energy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gregory H. Boyce. "And tremendous progress has been made in improving the emissions profile for coal. Since 1970, key emissions rates from U.S. coal plants have decreased 90 percent, as related coal use has increased 170 percent."

The St. Louis initiative is part of the global "Advanced Energy for Life" campaign which was launched in February to educate and mobilize world leaders, multi-national organizations, a wide range of institutions and stakeholders, and the general public to:

1) Raise awareness and support to end the crisis of global energy poverty, which affects half the world's population and leads to crippling impacts to human health, standards of living and damage to the environment;

2) Drive policies and support actions that increase access to reliable, low-cost power – particularly today's advanced coal technologies – that extends lives, builds economies and improves both natural and indoor environments; and

3) Employ today's advanced technologies to reduce key power plant emissions. Longer term, pursue greater development of next-generation technologies and the regulatory framework to capture, use and store carbon dioxide emissions.

Visit AdvancedEnergyForLife.com to learn more. Engage with the campaign on Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr and Google+ and Twitter (@AdvancedEnergy).



CONTACT:

Peabody Energy
Cabanne Howard
314.914.2507