Coal Age

JUN 2016

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6 www.coalage.com June 2016 news Hatfield Found Dead; 3 Arrested in Homicide Probe U.S. coal executive Bennett "Ben" Hatfield, 59, was found dead May 23 at a southern West Virginia cemetery, the victim of a failed robbery attempt. Hatfield, who was recently appointed to the board of directors for Foresight Energy, had served as presi- dent and CEO of Patriot Coal. He stepped down last year, about a month in advance of the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. According to local media reports, Hatfield had been visiting the gravesites of his late wife and other family members at Moun- tain View Memory Gardens in Mingo County on Sunday, May 22, and had parked his GMC Denali SUV nearby. According to the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, they believe suspects Anthony Arriaga, 20, of Delphos, Ohio, and Brandon Fitzpatrick, 18, of Louisa, Kentucky, pulled up behind Hatfield's SUV with the intention of stealing it. Sheriff James Smith said they believe Arriaga walked up behind Hatfield and shot twice, hitting him once in the back. Hatfield then ran for cover near the river- bank and Arriaga followed, and at that time, the sheriff's office believes Fitzpatrick drove away. Neither man stole anything from Hatfield or his vehicle. Hatfield was reported missing, and a cell phone trace led po- lice to the cemetery near Williamson. Arriaga was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy. Authorities believe that he stripped his clothes and his gun — both of which have since been found — into a creek and then paid for someone to drive him to the location where he was taken into custody. Fitzpatrick was arrested on drug charges after a traffic stop. He now faces conspiracy and murder charges, and has since pleaded not guilty. Ricky Peterson, 20, has been charged with accessory after the fact, obstructing an officer and providing false information to an officer. He reportedly claimed to have no knowledge of the shoot- ing when questioned by law enforcement despite Arriaga alleged- ly having stopped at his home to tell him of his actions. Prior to Hatfield's position at Patriot, to which he was appoint- ed in 2012, he was CEO of International Coal Group (ICG). He served in that seat at the time of the Sago mine explosion in 2006. He also served in various management capacities for Massey En- ergy over several years and was a board member for the West Vir- ginia Coal Association. Armstrong Energy Looks to Strengthen its Balance Sheet Illinois Basin steam coal producer Armstrong Energy Inc., which is closing its Parkway underground mine in Muhlenberg County, b r e a k i n g n e w s Bankruptcy Court Approves Alpha Request to End Union Pact A Virginia bankruptcy court judge overseeing the producer's ongoing Chapter 11 case has given his approval for Alpha Natural Resources to drop its current contract with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). According to the Register-Herald Reporter, Judge Kevin Huen- nekens of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond, Virginia, gave his authorization May 11 to the company's request to terminate its collec- tive bargaining deals with the union, which Alpha said will help it to save about $60 million. The decision to end the contract, which also reportedly included health benefts, impacts about 3,200 current and retired Alpha em- ployees (600 and 2,600, respectively). In March, when the company frst entered its request, it told the court that its obligations in 2015 for health care benefts for those under the contract totaled $53 million, or 30% more than its non-union workers. Additionally, it also reported at the time that it spent $872 million during the same period for retiree health care obligations. The union has fought back against the request, particularly in light of Alpha's decision to pay out $12 million in bonus compensation to its executives as it works through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. "[The] ruling by Judge…Huennekens stripping away our collective bargaining agreement with Alpha Natural Resources and wiping away the company's obligation for retiree benefts came as no surprise," UMWA President Cecil Roberts said. "We are trying to reach an agree- ment with the company to resolve this issue, but if we are unable to do that, we will have to examine our options. Alpha can attempt to impose whatever terms and conditions at its operations it may desire. That doesn't mean our members will agree to work under them." In related news, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Pro- tection (DEP) entered an objection to the bankruptcy court formally stating that the state objects to the sale of Alpha's assets. The agency claims, according to the Reporter, that if its sale is approved, the state could be left with massive reclamation liabilities. By DEP estimates, Alpha's recla- mation and water treatment responsibilities total about $1 billion. Anthony R. Arriaga, second left, is arraigned May 26 in Mingo County Circuit Court before Judge Miki Thompson in Williamson, West Virginia. Arriaga is one of three suspects in the shooting death of ex-coal chief executive Bennett Hatfield. (Kyle Lovern/Williamson Daily News via AP)

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