Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. (NYSE:ANR) is pleased to announce that its Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines in Gillette, Wyoming recently reached significant safety milestones.

Eagle Butte celebrated two years without a lost time accident. Over that period of time, employees worked more than one million hours and safely produced nearly 44-million tons of coal.

Belle Ayr recently celebrated 1 year without a lost time accident. Employees at the Belle Ayr mine worked more than 770,000 man hours and produced more than 28 million tons of coal without a Lost Time Accident.

Jim Bryja, senior vice president, Northern Appalachia and Powder River Basin, said, "We are proud of the accomplishment of the employees of the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines and congratulate them. Our employees are dedicated to ‘Running Right’ and doing their jobs safely and efficiently. These outstanding milestones demonstrate their safety commitment."

ABOUT ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES

The merger with Foundation Coal positions Alpha Natural Resources as one of America's premier coal suppliers, ranked third-largest as measured by combined 2008 coal sales. Alpha is the nation's leading supplier and exporter of metallurgical coal used in the steel-making process and is a major supplier of thermal coal to electric utilities and manufacturing industries across the country. The company and its subsidiaries, with approximately 6,200 employees and 2008 combined revenues of more than $4 billion, operate 61 mines and 14 coal preparation facilities in the regions of Northern and Central Appalachia and the Powder River Basin.

ANRG