Press Releases

Peabody Energy's Lee Ranch Mine has earned a Safe Operator of the Year Award from the New Mexico State Mine Inspector for achieving zero reportable incidents in 2006. Lee Ranch has been recognized by the state as the safest mine in New Mexico for the past two years. The mine is operated by Peabody subsidiary Lee Ranch Coal Company.

The mine's 260 employees achieved three years, or more than 1.5 million work hours, without a reportable accident. The New Mexico State Mine Inspector created a special, higher-level Safe Operator of the Year category to reflect the mine's safety performance, which is unparalleled in the state.

"Leadership in safety starts with each one of us taking personal accountability for our own safety and the safety of each other," said Robert C. Hammond, Group Executive for Peabody's Southwest Operations. "I'm proud of our employees for setting the pace and for continuing to work toward our vision of achieving zero incidents of any kind."

Last year Lee Ranch also was honored by the U.S. Department of Labor as the safest U.S. surface mine in the nation for 2005, an award Peabody operations have earned three of the past four years. Lee Ranch has been consistently recognized as New Mexico's safest coal mine, earning the distinction nearly a dozen times.

The Safe Operator of the Year Award is sponsored by the inspector's office and the New Mexico Mining Association and is awarded to mines with the lowest annual incident frequency.

Peabody Energy is the world's largest private-sector coal company, with 2006 sales of 248 million tons of coal and $5.3 billion in revenues. Its coal products fuel approximately 10 percent of all U.S. electricity generation and more than 2 percent of worldwide electricity.

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SOURCE: Peabody Energy