CONSOL Energy Extends Summer Miners' Vacation Period at Blacksville No. 2 and Robinson Run Mines

CONSOL Energy Inc.

today announced that it will extend the annual miners' vacation period at its Blacksville No. 2 and Robinson Run mines in Northern West Virginia. The company estimates that this action will result in 300,000 tons of deferred production. "The current market for domestic coal remains weak due to poor economic growth and activity," commented Nicholas J. DeIuliis, president. "Adding to this weakness is the continuing, ongoing, and increasing pressure from the EPA that creates, at a minimum, significant uncertainty for our power generation customers relating to the continued use of coal. CONSOL Energy is compelled in the near term to operationally adjust to these realities." The Blacksville No. 2 mine vacation period will be extended for two weeks. Consistent with its core values of safety, compliance and continuous improvement, CONSOL Energy will conduct two belt rehabilitation projects during that time. The Robinson Run extension will be one week and during that time the company will be working to maintain the mine in ready state. To date in 2012, the Blacksville No. 2 Mine has produced 1.27 million tons of coal utilizing a single longwall and three continuous mining units. The Robinson Run mine has produced 2.4 million tons in that same time period using one longwall and four continuous mining units. Annual expenditures and capital investment at the two locations in 2011 totaled more than $394 million.