Announcement

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Westmoreland wins top national award for mine reclamation




Westmoreland Coal Company announced that its Western Energy Company subsidiary has been selected to receive an Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Award from the Office of Surface Mining for its reclamation efforts at Western Energy Company Colstrip Mine in Colstrip, Montana.

The Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Awards are presented to coal mining companies that achieve the most exemplary mining and reclamation in the country. Western Energy Company is the 2011 recipient of the Directors Award for exemplary use of geomorphic reclamation techniques.

Mr Keith E Alessi CEO said "This is the third time that Western Energy has received an Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Award since 2005 which is a direct reflection of the mine commitment to environmental stewardship. The Director award is among the highest reclamation distinctions in the coal mining industry
and Western Energy is extremely honored to be recognized again by the Office of Surface Mining for its reclamation achievements."

The company's award entry highlighted the history of incorporating geomorphic characteristics into reclamation designs. This process began in cooperation with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality in the early 1990s and was refined in reclamation work completed in 1996 and 1997. It has been most recently used in final reclamation work completed in 2004 and 2010. The goal has been to replace premining topographic diversity and native vegetation types that would have been lost using the standard reclamation techniques of the early 1990s.

Western Energy will receive the Directors Award for its geomorphic reclamation techniques on October 17th during an awards ceremony in Washington DC.

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