Arch Coal released the following statement Friday after being informed by the EPA concerning the future of the Supreme No. 1 Mine in Logan County.

Today Arch Coal and its Mingo Logan Coal Company subsidiary received a notice from the U.S. EPA that the agency plans to initiate the process to veto the issuance of the 404 permit issued for the Mingo Logan Spruce No. 1 mine by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

We are shocked that the EPA would take such an action in light of the strong support for the Spruce permit voiced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

As the most carefully scrutinized and fully considered mine permit in West Virginia's history, the Spruce No. 1 permit was legally issued in 2007. The nearly 10-year permitting process included the preparation of a full environmental impact statement. The EPA was intimately involved in the preparation and approval of the Spruce permit, making today's news even more difficult to understand.

We agree with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the West Virginia DEP in their recent assertions to the EPA that the Spruce permit should be allowed to move forward without any further delay.

Businesses need a stable and predictable regulatory climate in order to move forward with new, job-creating investments; the mining industry is no different.

We intend to engage EPA in the regulatory process provided by law in order to defend the permit and the Corps' decision to issue it.