W. Christopher Leahy Joins Peabody as Vice President of Federal Government Relations

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Peabody Energy today announced that W. Christopher "Chris" Leahy has joined the company as Vice President of Federal Government Relations. Leahy will head Peabody's Washington, D.C. office and will be actively involved in Peabody's domestic and international policy outreach and advocacy to Congress, the executive branch and industry associations.

Leahy will report to Senior Vice President of Government Relations Fredrick D. Palmer. "Peabody's Government Relations program is designed to create a policy framework for the robust use of coal, America's most important energy resource," said Palmer. "The experience that Chris brings to our efforts in D.C. and elsewhere will have a major impact on our country's ability to use coal for electricity generation, syngas and transportation fuels. We are excited to have Chris as a part of the Peabody team."

Leahy has 16 years of extensive legal and government affairs experience, most recently as Majority Counsel and Policy Coordinator for the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the United States House of Representatives. In that role he directed policy and oversight initiatives for the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.

He previously served as Government Relations Counsel for Volkswagen of America, Inc. and held legal and government affairs positions with various industry associations and corporations.

Leahy holds a Juris Doctorate from The American University in Washington, D.C., as well as a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the District of Columbia and Virginia state bars.

Peabody Energy is the world's largest private-sector coal company, with 2005 sales of 240 million tons of coal and $4.6 billion in revenues. Its coal products fuel approximately 10 percent of all U.S. electricity generation and 3 percent of worldwide electricity.

CONTACT: Vic Svec (314) 342-7768