CONSOL Energy Operations Receive Safety Awards

PITTSBURGH, March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Four CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX) mining operations in West Virginia have been recognized for their outstanding safety efforts and have been named recipients of prestigious Mountaineer Guardian awards.  

The Mountaineer Guardian awards, given annually to qualifying underground and surface mining operations across the state of West Virginia, recognize operations for their commitment to safety. The 2009 awards were presented during the West Virginia Coal Association's 37th annual Mining Symposium in Charleston, W.Va.

In the underground safety category CONSOL Energy's Loveridge Mine in Fairview, W.Va., was awarded a Mountaineer Guardian award, recognizing its 577 employees for working safely for 1,313,322 hours.

In the surface mine category, Fola Surface operations and its Peach Orchard Preparation Plant, both in Clay County, WV; and Southern WV Resources #1 Surface Mine, located in Naugatuck, W.Va., were each recognized with the Mountaineer Guardian Award for their outstanding safety achievements.

Fola Surface Mine's average 299 employees safely worked 612,178 hours; Peach Orchard's 77 employees worked 126,027 hours safely; and Southern WV Resources #1 Surface Mine's 25 employees worked 55,241 hours safely.

"We are very proud of the safety accomplishments achieved at all of these locations," said CONSOL Vice President of Safety Lou Barletta. "Their commitment to working safely and productively is recognized through these awards. These employees pride themselves in working towards the goal of ZERO accidents each day and as a company we are proud of them and their efforts to work safely yesterday, today and in the future."

The West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training and the West Virginia Coal Association (Mining and Reclamation Association) established the Mountaineer Guardian Safety Awards Program in 1983 as a joint effort to promote safety in the coalfields of West Virginia. This special program gives recognition to mining workplaces where employees have accumulated qualifying amounts of production without experiencing a fatal accident. Mining Operations are divided into categories, based on the number of employees.

Inspectors for the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety & Training nominate companies who they feel have achieved a balance of production and safety. Selection criteria also include safety program initiatives by the company; the nominated company's safety record; and its violation history.

CONSOL Energy Inc., a high-Btu bituminous coal and natural gas company, is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 Equity Index and the Fortune 500. At year-end 2009, it had 11 bituminous coal mining complexes in six states and reports proven and probable coal reserves of 4.5 billion tons. It is also a majority owner of CNX Gas Corporation, a leading Appalachian gas producer, with proved reserves of over 1.9 trillion cubic feet.  Additional information about CONSOL Energy can be found at its web site: www.consolenergy.com.

SOURCE CONSOL Energy Inc.