Charleston, W.Va. (January 24, 2005) - Statewide nominations for the Arch Coal, Inc., Teacher Achievement Awards totaled 390, according to John R. Snider, company vice president.

Snider said nominations for the company's current teacher recognition program were near all-time highs, especially when counting duplicate nominations. "West Virginians have shown how much they appreciate the dedicated efforts of the teachers in our state," Snider said. "We often like to say that 'teachers challenge our children to succeed, and then show them how.'

"Arch Coal's teacher awards program gives all West Virginians a way to say thank you to the teachers who have made a difference in their lives," Snider said.

Snider said he expects a significant response from the nominated teachers, who must complete exhaustive application materials and return them by Feb. 11, 2005. The teachers' applications are then judged by a panel of their peers - other teachers. Ten teachers are recognized, each with a $2,500 personal cash award, in a formal ceremony in Charleston later in the school year.

The Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Awards program is the longest running, privately sponsored teacher recognition program in the state. In addition to the personal awards presented to the teachers, the West Virginia Education Association (WVEA), through its West Virginia Foundation for the Improvement of Education, makes $1,000 grants to the schools of each winning teacher.

The program is supported and publicized by the West Virginia Department of Education, WVEA, and Speedway.

Arch Coal is the nation's second largest coal producer. Nearly 2,000 people are employed at Arch's operations in West Virginia. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACI) and maintains its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.