Land and Biodiversity
Our Approach
Peabody is committed to progressively restoring areas disturbed by mining to ensure positive post-mine land use, landform, biodiversity and environmental outcomes. Our approach to contemporaneous reclamation benefits both operations and the environment by minimizing our footprint and efficiently restoring the land as we mine at the lowest cost.
Before any mining activity begins, we complete comprehensive baseline studies. We look at local ecosystems, geology, surface water, groundwater, land uses and other relevant resources to support detailed assessments. These inform our mine plans and measures to reduce potential impacts from our operations, respect critical habitat and execute cost-effective reclamation that restores viable and diverse ecosystems.
Successful land restoration is a recurring metric within Peabody’s executive compensation program, as well, with the goal of reclaiming as much or more land than we disturb on an annual basis. This is an effective metric that balances operational excellence and our commitment to minimizing environmental impacts.
Our Performance
Over the past five years, Peabody has restored one acre of mined land for every acre disturbed, including restoring more than 3,200 acres of land in 2023. These lands will now serve as wildlife habitat, rangeland, forests, prime farmland, grazing land and wetlands. Reclaimed lands may also be utilized for renewable energy development projects such as the ongoing work in our Midwest Thermal Operations through the R3 Renewables joint venture. In the U.S., Peabody had approximately 2,600 acres approved for final phase bond release at the end of 2023.