ST. LOUIS (February 23, 2006) – The board of directors of Arch Coal, Inc. today declared quarterly dividends for its common and preferred shares. For the company's common stock (NYSE: ACI), the dividend of $0.08 per share is payable March 15, 2006, to shareholders of record on March 3, 2006. For the company's preferred stock (NYSE: ACI_p), the board declared a dividend of $0.625 per share, payable on May 1, 2006 to shareholders of record on April 14, 2006.

St. Louis-based Arch Coal is the nation's second largest coal producer and mines low-sulfur coal exclusively. Through its subsidiary operations in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia, Arch provides the fuel for approximately 6 percent of the electricity generated in the United States.