Cheryl Seal's latest reprint regarding Peabody Energy falls into the Jason Blair school of journalism - saying anything that sounds good regardless of the truth. It is so full of false statements that it is hard to tell where to begin.

1) Peabody is not "infamous for originating the practice of ripping off the tops of mountaintops" and we have no mountaintop-removal operations.

2) Peabody's record on safety has been outstanding. It is safer to work in a Peabody mine than in most service and industrial sectors.

3) Peabody's environmental record is also excellent. We have won more than 30 environmental awards over the past five years, setting the best mark in the industry.

4) The notion that rolling blackouts, which occurred mainly in California, were intentionally created to justify added coal plants (almost none of which are in California) is ridiculous on its face.

5) Peabody's IPO was contemplated since 1998... such offerings simply don't occur on the spur of the moment as implied by the author.

6) No one associated with Peabody has ever lobbied regarding arsenic levels in drinking water.

7) Peabody's political contributions were in line with a company of our size, and were far outpaced by hundreds of other labor organizations and companies with varying advocacy positions.

8) Clean air restrictions for power plants have not been rolled back. In fact, the air is cleaner over the past two years than it has been in generations, and the President's Clear Skies initiatives would lead to further emissions improvements over the next 15 years.

9) The Navajo lawsuit against the federal government was first defended by the Clinton Administration before the current Administration. It was dismissed for a host of legitimate factual and legal reasons that Ms. Seal conveniently ignores. Peabody's contributions to the Navajo Nation have led to tremendous economic improvements and lifestyle benefits that are also ignored.

10) Most of the items mentioned by the author from her web search have nothing to do with safety claims against Peabody.

I could go on, but documenting 10 false statements by Ms. Seal seems to be enough. The Internet is a wonderful medium, with the ability to quickly communicate without regard to truth. Software comes with spell check ability; it is a shame that articles such as Ms. Seal's cannot also be run through "fact check."

-- Vic Svec
Peabody Energy