Perfect safety record earns Coal-Mac national honors

ST. LOUIS (Oct. 8, 2003) - Coal-Mac, Inc., an Arch Coal subsidiary, recently was named one of America's five safest surface mines in 2002 and a runner-up for the prestigious Sentinels of Safety Award.

Coal-Mac employees worked the entire year, more than 300,000 employee-hours, without a single lost-time injury.

"This perfect record is evidence of Coal-Mac's long-standing commitment to mine safety," said Steven F. Leer, president and CEO of Arch Coal. "While safety is certainly its own reward, it is an honor to receive national recognition for this dedication."

The Sentinels of Safety awards program is cosponsored by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the National Mining Association. The program has been presented annually since 1925 to recognize extremely noteworthy accomplishments in the area of mine health and safety.

The Sentinels of Safety awards are presented to U.S. mine operations that have worked the most employee-hours without experiencing a lost-time injury. Visit MSHA's Web site for a list of the award categories and 2003 recipients at www.msha.gov.

Coal-Mac, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI). Located in Ragland, W.Va., Coal-Mac ships approximately 2.1 million tons of coal each year. Arch Coal is the nation's second largest coal producer and mines low-sulfur coal exclusively. Through its subsidiary operations in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, Arch provides the fuel for approximately 6 percent of the electricity generated in the United States.