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news continued % 2012 A W ARDS Peabody Energy's North Antelope Rochelle & Cottage Grove Mines Honored with Excellence in Reclamation Awards Peabody Energy has been honored with two U.S. Department of the Interior 2012 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Awards for protection of raptor populations in Wyoming and restoration of prime farmland in Illinois. Peabody's flagship North Antelope Rochelle mine in Campbell County, Wyo., was recognized for a multi-faceted approach to sustain populations of eagles, hawks, owls and other birds of prey through cre- ation of high-quality habitat and protection of nesting areas. Nearly three decades of monitoring data confirm that young have fledged each year, and raptor populations successfully have been sustained as min- ing activities significantly increased. Peabody's Cottage Grove mine in Saline County, Ill., was honored for soil handling and crop management methods to restore prime farmland, achieving high yields of corn, soy beans, wheat and hay crops that are as good or better than county averages. These results are important given Cottage Grove is located in one of the most productive agriculture regions in the state. Restoration of prime farmland is considered among the highest land uses, yet it is among the most difficult to achieve. "Peabody has a world-class environmental, engineering and operations team that continues to demonstrate leadership in sustainable mining and restoration practices," said Charles Meintjes, acting president of Peabody- Americas. "I congratulate our team for setting a standard of environmental excellence that consistently delivers the highest and most enduring benefits for communities and stakeholders long term." Efforts to protect raptor populations have helped successfully sustain species such as Ferruginous Hawks as seen in this nest near the mining area. Cover crops are used to further enhance the replaced soils and are hardy enough to withstand weather extremes and create rapid ground cover. The species have root types that act as nutrient pumps, concentrating nutri- ents near the surface while others hold nourishment in their tissues. Cover crops also encourage beneficial insects, mammals, birds, and microflora and microfauna to further strengthen the restored ecosystem. Alpha Natural Resources Celebrates Safety Milestones at Seven Mining Operations Alpha Natural Resources announced that seven affiliated operations have been recognized for their safety achievements in 2011. The Virginia Coal Mine Safety Board and Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy recog- nized the following Alpha-affiliated operations for their outstanding safety records: • Big Laurel Mining Corp.'s Mine No. 2 received top honors for a large underground mine working approximately 174,000 hours without a lost time accident; • Paramont Coal Co. Virginia, LLC's Deep Mine No. 35 was recognized as a large underground mine working approximately 144,700 hours without a lost time accident; Lands restored include ponds and wetlands that provide water and unique habitat. Wildlife habitat restoration also includes creating nesting and roosting areas. At the North Antelope Rochelle mine, wildlife habitat restoration includes creating nesting and roosting areas and planting more than 1,900 cottonwood and willow trees in seasonal creeks and ephemeral pools. The highly productive reclaimed rangeland provides habitat for rabbits, mice and other small mammals that are important prey for raptors. Nesting platforms also are constructed within restored lands to provide sites to attract new breeding pairs and allow existing pairs to maintain their territory. Monitoring and surveying are extensive and ongoing. At the Cottage Grove mine, superior productivity of reclaimed farmland has been achieved through proper handling of soils and use of cover crops. The process includes storing topsoil prior to mining, replacing more than twice as much subsoil for the rooting zone using higher quality material than what is required, and employing the latest technology to prepare and aerate the soils. 18 www.coalage.com • Dickenson-Russell Coal Co., LLC's Roaring Fork No. 4 was recognized as a small underground mine working approximately 80,500 hours without a lost time accident; • Bluff Spur Coal Corp.'s Mine No. 1 was recognized as a large under- ground mine working approximately 137,000 hours without a lost time accident; • Paramont Coal Co. Virginia, LLC's Lovers Gap/Butcher Knife Surface Mine was recognized as a small surface mine working nearly 40,600 hours without a lost time accident; • Paramont Coal Co. Virginia, LLC's 88 Strip was recognized as a large surface mine working more than 153,200 hours without a lost time accident; and • Paramont Coal Co. Virginia, LLC's Red Onion Surface Mine was recog- nized as a large surface mine working nearly 126,000 Hours without a lost time accident. "We are proud of the continued commitment to safety shown at all of our operations. These awards help validate all of the hard work our miners do every day," said Allen Dupree, Alpha's business unit president for Virginia operations. The 2011 Virginia Coal Mine Safety Awards were pre- sented at each of the mine sites during the week of July 16-22. 100th Anniversary Special Issue August 2012