Our Approach to Community
Beyond the broad economic benefits that our operations provide, Arch and its subsidiaries make it a priority to enrich our local communities in other ways, too. We encourage our employees to take an active role in community organizations and projects, and to cultivate strong relationships with neighbors.
Through philanthropic and economic contributions, we believe we are improving the quality of life in the areas in which we operate — for the benefit of our own employees and their families as well as the broader communities in which they live and work.
Arch and its operating subsidiaries have made open communication and dialogue a high priority. We use various tools and forums to promote community engagement, including community advisory panels (CAPs). At the Leer metallurgical mine in Grafton, West Virginia, for example, the mine’s leadership team meets quarterly with a CAP comprised of approximately 20 representatives from the area, including business leaders, educators, emergency responders, and elected officials, among others. During 2023, the Leer mine conducted four CAP meetings, with between 80 and 90 members of the community in attendance at each meeting, and has conducted two quarterly meetings — with similar attendance levels — so far in 2024.
During these meetings, the mine informs community leaders about upcoming mine developments of significance, including its future investment and development plans, and educates these community leaders on the process of mining. At the same time, the meetings create opportunities for community members to ask questions, share concerns, and make suggestions about opportunities for collaboration between the mine and the local citizenry. Through the quarterly CAP meetings, Leer team members update members on the status of permitting activities, efforts to promote and support biodiversity, water stewardship objectives, and a range of other issues of mutual interest.
The company’s newest world-class metallurgical mine, Leer South, established a CAP while the mine was still under construction. By engaging community members at the earliest stages of the mine’s development, the Leer South team was able to solicit valuable input about its neighbors’ needs, aspirations and concerns. The Leer South mine has conducted two quarterly meetings so far in 2024.
Arch and its subsidiaries undertake a formal process for stakeholder engagement and consultation in advance of the opening of any new operation, and maintain that engagement on a continuing basis at existing operations. While the forum for such engagement varies from mine to mine — with the CAPs at our Leer and Leer South operations being but two examples of our formal outreach efforts — every subsidiary operation engages frequently and continuously throughout the year with area residents, local businesses, landowners, government agencies and other officials, Tribal Nations if and as applicable, and other relevant stakeholders.
Before the development of a new mine commences or mining activities begin — as well as at key points during the mining process — Arch subsidiaries engage with multiple federal and state agencies to secure the necessary permits to conduct business. Public comment opportunities are a central component of these efforts, and Arch takes its obligations to community engagement and outreach seriously. Our goal is to be as responsive as possible to community concerns, and to work with neighbors and community leaders to address and allay concerns to the fullest extent possible.
Exemplifying this commitment to public involvement, Leer, Leer South and Black Thunder have been honored in recent years with the U.S. Department of Interior’s Good Neighbor Award — the nation’s highest honor for community engagement and outreach — for their efforts to engage with and support their communities as well as to advance critical infrastructure projects.
In 2023, the Leer mine achieved Level A verification under the globally recognized Towards Sustainable Mining standard, becoming the first U.S. mining operation of any type to achieve this objective.
In 2023, the Leer mine undertook the journey to achieve a Level A verification under the globally recognized Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) standard. The Leer team worked diligently to develop comprehensive programs aligning with the rigorous standards of the eight TSM protocols. In early December, the mine team achieved third-party verification of a Level A rating for all indicators of each protocol, becoming the first U.S. mining operation of any type to achieve this objective.
That spirit of support extends across the broader region as well. During 2022, the Leer mine loaded four U-Hauls with relief supplies for victims of severe flooding in communities in the neighboring state of Kentucky.
During 2023, the Leer South mine conducted a “tabletop” exercise in which 28 participants from 14 different local, state and federal agencies collaborated in addressing a mock preparation plant fire scenario. In addition, 17 members of the Philippi (W.Va.) Volunteer Fire Department toured the facility and conducted a ladder truck and water cannon demonstration. The year before, in 2022, the Leer South mine conducted a large-scale mock disaster exercise as part of its emergency warning and crisis management readiness efforts. The drill created an invaluable opportunity for local first responders, regulatory agencies, community partners and mine personnel to identify, understand, and practice roles and responsibilities critical to successful crisis management. A total of 16 agencies and more than 65 individuals participated in the drill, with many of those same people participating in a subsequent debrief on the key learnings associated with the activity. The Barbour County Commission recognized the mine’s efforts with an exemplary community service award.
As another example of Arch’s strong commitment to serving community interests, subsidiary operations have designed and installed new mine ventilation fans with advanced noise-dampening technologies. As a result of this incremental investment, the new ventilation fans are roughly 1/20th as loud as typical mine ventilation fans.
Funding Projects that Benefit Communities
sewer services because of a
$2 million, three-mile sewer line extension funded in part
by Leer South
The Leer South mine recently completed a joint effort with the City of Philippi and the federal Economic Development Authority to help fund a $2 million, three-mile sewer line extension that will serve the needs of the mine while facilitating the extension of city sewer services to as many as 150 additional homes.
Similarly, the Mountain Laurel mine worked with a group of community leaders — providing both equipment and labor — to develop Rockhouse Lake, a recreational facility and natural resource located in a 127-acre park. The lake and park provide significant outdoor opportunities in Logan County, West Virginia. Employees have also donated their time and resources to continue to enhance the offerings at the lake, including improving accessibility. In recent years, employees have volunteered their time to work with local residents with disabilities, helping them to take advantage of the new, accessible facilities. Mountain Laurel has also provided grounds maintenance services at the facility to ensure access to the lake’s walking paths, boat docks, and fishing benches, and — in 2023 — hosted its second annual Children’s Fishing Day.
In another effort, the Leer mine partnered with the Taylor County Soccer Association in Knottsville, West Virginia, to provide land for the development of a nonprofit soccer complex that provides thousands of area families a place to play, exercise and practice healthy lifestyles. Subsequently, the Leer mine committed to provide labor and expertise on a major renovation project – including the construction of modern, new dugout facilities – at another nearby athletic complex.
Mountain Laurel provides grounds maintenance services at the facility to maintain the lake’s walking paths, boat docks, and fishing benches, and – in 2023 – hosted its second annual Children’s Fishing Day.
Arch’s subsidiaries have made education and partnering with local schools a particular emphasis, which they believe is a sound investment not only in their own future workforces, but also in the long-term health and success of their communities. Arch subsidiary employees support and participate in a wide array of activities, including high school career days, Earth Day events, Partner in Education programs, veterans’ organizations, “read-to-me” days, field trips, Adopt-a-Highway programs, women’s resource centers, science and social studies fairs, long-term care facilities, Hospice organizations, and many other efforts. In 2023, the Leer mine team raised more than $20,000 in support of the Relay for Life. Mountain Laurel employees contributed more than $30,000 for the mine’s annual Christmas fund, and directed those dollars to provide gifts and essential items to around 200 children at eight local schools. The Beckley mine hosted engineering students from Virginia Tech’s mining and minerals program, providing an underground tour, lunch and an opportunity to engage with professionals in their field of interest.
Mountain Laurel hosted its annual Earth Day celebration in 2023, with two local schools and around 85 students and school staff participating. Students learned about environmental stewardship as well as beekeeping and the essential role bees play in the natural environment, and enjoyed a hands-on experience related to the collection of aquatic insects and crustaceans as a way to gauge the health of streams and promote water quality compliance, among other activities.
During 2023, Leer South hosted around 100 area middle school students as part of a STEAM exposition, with the theme of “Water Conservation.” Students were challenged to create projects pertaining to the theme, and to create banners to advertise the event and to promote water conservation efforts. During 2022, the Leer mine’s giving fund donated backpacks full of school supplies to 525 elementary and pre-K students at a nearby elementary school.
Arch’s subsidiary operations make it a priority to support their local school systems, which translates into an investment in their future workforces. The photo on the left shows award winners from the recent STEAM Expo at Leer South.
Arch subsidiaries also collaborate with — and provide support to — a broad array of conservation and outdoor organizations, which is an excellent complement to Arch’s strong commitment to environmental stewardship. For instance, Arch operations partner with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to support youth hunts, fishing days, recognition events, and other activities, and work with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to support habitat enhancement and elk management activities. During 2023, Mountain Laurel supported the NWTF’s annual fishing day and sponsored its annual banquet in support of the group’s wildlife management and outdoor education initiatives.
Leer South promotes areas for wild turkey habitat by modifying seed mixtures to provide forage area and escape cover for wild turkeys. In addition, Leer South partnered with a local high school football team to place six cedar wood duck nesting boxes throughout the facility, while continuing to maintain these boxes, ensuring proper ventilation and drainage, furnishing them with clean cedar chips for nesting, and outfitting them with — and maintaining — predator shields. As a result, Leer South team members report that there are increasing numbers of waterfowl making use of these boxes. During 2023, Leer South’s environmental steering team launched a new initiative to promote wildlife habitat — via the construction of “rabbitats,” or protective havens for small, fur-bearing animals — in support of a healthier natural ecosystem. The team constructed these rabbitats using recycled wooden pallets and covered the newly created sanctuaries with brush. Finally, the Leer South team embarked on a modified vegetation plan — expanding the acreage preserved for wildflowers and other native vegetation — in an effort to increase the habitat for a variety of pollinators, which are essential to a healthy ecosystem.
The U.S. Department of the Interior honored the Arch’s Powder River Basin subsidiary as the sole recipient of the 2023 Good Neighbor Award, the nation’s top honor for community engagement.
During 2022, Arch’s Powder River Basin subsidiary — as part of an ongoing partnership with the U.S. Forest Service — focused its attentions on improving local recreational areas, which included the cleanup of a dump site in the Thunder Basin National Grasslands (TBNG); the addition of a floating dock, signage, an access path and facilities at the East Iron Creek Reservoir; and continuing support for the TBNG Sage Grouse Core Habitat Restoration Project.
In 2023, the Leer environmental team implemented a strategic fish stocking program to enrich the aquatic life of Three Fork Creek. The team oversaw the introduction of nearly 500 bass and nearly 250 channel catfish in support of a thriving and balanced aquatic ecosystem. Similarly, the Leer South team stocked its mine service pond with 100 large mouth bass, 500 bluegill, 35 catfish, 70 crappie and 500 fathead minnows, creating recreational opportunities for mine employees and their families while setting the stage for increases in fish populations downstream.
$2.7mdonated
In total, Arch and it’s subsidiaries have contributed nearly $2.7 million to charitable organizations and causes over the course of the past five years
In addition to these activities, Arch operations sponsor and support a host of other significant causes each year, including drug abuse prevention efforts, blood drives, health-related community events such as Relay for Life, and numerous other efforts.
In total, Arch and its subsidiaries have contributed nearly $2.7 million to charitable organizations and causes over the course of the past five years.
The employees of the corporation and its operating subsidiaries have a political action committee that helps amplify their collective voice on political matters of interest and concern. In addition, the organization engages and lobbies elected and public officials on issues of importance to the company, its operating subsidiaries and employees throughout those organizations.
Information on the company’s political action committee can be found here: https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00167668/. Information on the company’s lobbying activities can be found here: LD-2 Disclosure Form (house.gov). In addition, the company and its subsidiaries participate in a number of trade associations that engage in political outreach and advocacy, including the National Mining Association, the West Virginia Coal Association, the Wyoming Mining Association and the Colorado Mining Association.
