ST. LOUIS, Sept. 7, 2011 -- The Arch Coal Foundation today announced it is continuing its prestigious teacher-recognition programs in Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.

"Our enthusiasm for excellence in education runs throughout the Foundation and Arch Coal," said Deck S. Slone, Arch Coal, Inc. vice president and Arch Coal Foundation president. "We believe classroom teachers play a vital role in educating tomorrow's leaders in the communities where we work and live."

The Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Awards Program is the longest running, privately sponsored, teacher-recognition program in West Virginia and Wyoming. The program also operates in a four-county area of Utah near Arch Coal's three mines. The recognition program began more than two decades ago in West Virginia and now begins its 12th year in Wyoming and sixth year in Utah.

"The Foundation continues to challenge the public to nominate outstanding teachers," said Slone. "A blue-ribbon panel of past recipients judges the submissions and selects the very best of the best each year."

Annually, 27 award recipients each receive a $3,500 personal cash award as well as widespread recognition.

Including the teacher awards program, Arch Coal and its Foundation support $1.4 million in education-related programs and charitable giving each year. The Foundation also underwrites a unique teacher grants program in Delta County, Colo. Details about the Foundation's signature teacher awards and grant programs are posted online at www.archteacherawards.com.

U.S.-based Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) is a top five global coal producer and marketer, with 179 million tons of coal sold pro forma in 2010. Arch is the most diversified American coal company, with mining complexes across every major U.S. coal supply basin. Arch's core business is supplying cleaner-burning, low-sulfur thermal and metallurgical coal to power generators and steel manufacturers on four continents.