Form 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 23, 2011

 

 

CONSOL Energy Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-14901   51-0337383

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

CNX Center

1000 CONSOL Energy Drive

Canonsburg, Pennsylvania 15317

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(724) 485-4000

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 2.06. Material Impairments.

On June 23, 2011, CONSOL Energy Inc. (“CONSOL”) decided to close its Mine 84, located near Washington, PA, because it desires to reallocate resources into more profitable coal operations and Marcellus shale drilling activities. CONSOL had ceased production at the mine in the first quarter of 2009. As a result of the closure, CONSOL will incur a pre-tax charge of $116 million. CONSOL estimates that $111 million will be non-cash; $5 million of the charge will result in future cash expenditures. CONSOL anticipates the closure will result in a pre-tax cash savings of approximately $18 million annually.

Forward-Looking Statements

We are including the following cautionary statement in this Form 8-K to make applicable and take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf, of us. With the exception of historical matters, the matters discussed in this Form 8-K are forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 21E of the Exchange Act) that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. The estimated impairment charges and future cash expenditures are forward-looking statements and the actual charge and expenditures may vary from the estimated impairment charges and expenditures. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and assumptions. While our management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. These risks, contingencies and uncertainties relate to, among other matters, the following:

 

   

the effects of government regulation on the discharge into the water or air, and the disposal and clean-up of, hazardous substances and wastes generated during our coal operations;

 

   

the potential for liabilities arising from environmental contamination or alleged environmental contamination in connection with our past coal operations;

 

   

the effects of mine closing, reclamation, and certain other liabilities; and

 

   

other factors discussed in our 2010 Form 10-K under “Risk Factors,” as updated by any subsequent Form 10-Qs, which are on file at the Securities and Exchange Commission.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

CONSOL ENERGY INC.
By:  

/s/ Stephen W. Johnson

  Stephen W. Johnson,
  Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Dated: June 29, 2011