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Social & Environment Report 2004 Kennecott Energy Company 505 South Gillette Avenue P.O. Box 3009 Gillette, WY 82717-3009 307-687-6000 www.kennecottenergy.com A member of the Rio Tinto Group Provide for Today, Protect for Tomorrow
Transcript

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Kennecott Energy Company

505 South Gillette Avenue

P.O. Box 3009

Gillette, WY 82717-3009

307-687-6000

www.kennecottenergy.com

A member of the Rio Tinto Group

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2

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT2004 was a good year for Kennecott Energy Company

from both financial and operating perspectives. We

received benefits from better prices and higher volumes,

and our Business Improvement efforts produced good

results. We also sustained safety improvements made in

earlier years and have set new goals for 2005 that will

help us increase our momentum toward a safer, better

environment in which to work.

Kennecott Energy Company is one of the safest and most

efficient energy producers in the world and will continue

to be an energy leader through its People, Partnershipsand Process Excellence.

Our People remain

committed to safety,

which continually

adds to our success.

Employees actively

strive to improve

their safety

performance by

viewing safety as the

core element of the

company's business

culture. We believe

all injuries are

preventable and, in

turn, we devote

considerable

resources to

maintaining a safe,

incident-free

workforce.

Kennecott Energy continues to develop a high quality

workforce by effective recruiting, skills development and

performance management.

Kennecott Energy also places a high priority on

Partnerships with our communities, neighbors and other

key stakeholders. We are serious about developing,

maintaining and even bettering our external relationships

through the strategies we practice. For example, we

support the global initiative to make sustainable

development part of our everyday activities. We are

systematically incorporating sustainable development

practices into our daily processes even while we contin-

ue our best practice in the environmental area. Our

motto is to Provide for Today, Protect for Tomorrow.

We are also working to increase the acceptance of coal

as a fuel source in America. This is vital to building a

sustainable business and to providing affordable, secure

energy for the world. While we have already achieved

great progress in making coal one of our nation's cleanest

and most reliable energy sources, we understand

continued improvement is necessary to make coal even

cleaner. We continue to work on environmental issues

that will create a clean coal future.

We strive to improve the environmental performance of

our operations. Employee dedication in our workplaces

has resulted in meeting or exceeding our 2004 environ-

mental targets. Employee efforts have realized reductions

in on-site freshwater

use, energy use, green-

house gas emissions

and increases in

reclamation rate. Our

commitment to

improving our local

environment is

exemplified by the

2004 National

Excellence in Surface

Mining and

Reclamation Award

presented to Jacobs

Ranch Mine for its

playa/wetland

reconstruction.

Finally, Kennecott

Energy continues its

quest for Process Excellence by constantly improving the

way it does business. The company's Business

Improvement Process (BIP) takes a team approach to

business excellence by involving the employees in con-

fronting cost pressures, delivering an economic product,

and building a sustainable future. As our mine sites age,

we face gradually increasing strip ratios, longer haul dis-

tances, increasing capital and operating costs, and a very

competitive marketplace. The BIP helps our company

combat these issues and continually pursues operational

improvements, capital productivity and enhanced market-

ing and sales capabilities.

KEC is forging ahead and will continue to maintain

stewardship, gain strength and offer competitiveness in

the coal industry. I hope you enjoy reading more about

our company.

3

OUR HISTORYWho We Are Kennecott Energy Company is a Delaware corporation

with headquarters in Gillette, Wyoming, and is part of

the Rio Tinto Group. Rio Tinto is a world leader in find-

ing, mining and processing the earth's mineral resources.

Rio Tinto's worldwide operations supply essential miner-

als and metals that help to meet global needs and con-

tribute to improvements in living standards.

Kennecott Energy is the largest producer of low sulfur,

subbituminous Powder River Basin coal and is one of the

safest and most efficient energy producers in the world.

With a combined workforce of more than 1,800 employ-

ees and with the assistance of hundreds of contractors

and suppliers, the company provides the fuel to generate

nearly six percent of the nation's electricity.

How We StartedRio Tinto founded Kennecott Energy when it acquired the

Spring Creek and Antelope coal mines from PacifiCorp

Holdings, Inc., on June 2, 1993, as part of the purchase

of NERCO, Inc. Two days later the Cordero Mining Co.

was purchased from Sun Company, Inc. The company

then acquired Colowyo Coal Company L.P. in 1994 from

W.R. Grace Company, and Caballo Rojo, Inc. from

Drummond Company, Inc. in 1997. Management of

Cordero and Caballo Rojo merged in 1997 to form the

Cordero Rojo mine. Kennecott Energy acquired the

Jacobs Ranch mine from Kerr-McGee Corporation in

1998. Production from each acquired mine increased

substantially after its acquisition.

RIO TINTO OPERATIONS

US CoalOperations

2004

KECMANAGEMENT TEAM

BRET CLAYTONPresident & CEO

RICK BLAKEVice President,

Human Resources

KELLY COSGROVEVice President,

Marketing, Government &Public Affairs

ALAN DAVIESVice President, Finance,

Strategy & Law, CFO

JEANE HULLVice President, Technical

Services & BusinessImprovement

LYLE RANDENVice President, Powder River

Basin Operations

KELLY SANDERSVice President,

Colowyo Operations

KENNECOTT ENERGY IS MINING

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2004 Coal Production

In 2004, the Powder River Basinproduced 400 million tons of low sulfur,subbituminous coal. Kennecott Energy’s

contribution to this was:

�� Antelope - 29.7 million tons�� Cordero Rojo - 38.8 million tons�� Jacobs Ranch - 38.6 million tons�� Spring Creek - 12.0 million tons�� Decker - 4.3 million tons

The company’s Colowyo Mine produced6.4 million tons, for a total production of

129.7 MILLION TONS.

Kennecott Energy entered the coal market in1993 producing just 26 million tons.

CoalKennecott Energy oversees operations of five surface coal

mines in the Western United States. The company's

Powder River Basin mines, overseen by Lyle Randen,

Vice President, Powder River Basin Operations, are: the

Spring Creek mine, located in Montana's Big Horn

County near Decker, in the state's southeast corner; and

the Cordero Rojo, Jacobs Ranch and Antelope mines,

located south of Gillette in northeastern Wyoming's

Campbell and Converse counties. The Colowyo Mine,

overseen by Kelly Sanders, Vice President, Colowyo

Operations, is located in the Uinta Basin of northwest

Colorado near the communities of Craig and Meeker.

Kennecott Energy also owns 50 percent of Decker Coal

located in southeastern Montana.

After selling its remaining reserves at the Fort Union

Mine near Gillette in 2004, Kennecott Energy's only

inactive coal property is Sequatchie Valley Coal

Company, a mine in Dunlap, Tennessee, that was

reclaimed using state-of-the-art techniques that

addressed acid mine drainage utilizing environmentally-

friendly buffering designs.

UraniumKennecott Energy oversees two inactive uranium

ventures: the Green Mountain Mining Venture in

southwest Wyoming; and the L-Bar Uranium site in

northwest New Mexico.

The Green Mountain site includes a licensed uranium

mill and tailings facility and three mine sites where

reclamation is underway and scheduled for completion

in 2007.

Kennecott Energy has completed reclamation at L-Bar.

During 2004, the company transferred the mill site to the

U.S. Department of Energy for long-term stewardship.

The Mining ProcessProductionAt each of Kennecott Energy's five surface coal mines,

topsoil is carefully removed and is either stockpiled or

redistributed on reclaimed land. The overburden (soil

and other material above the coal) is cast-blasted at

three operations into adjacent, already mined areas, and

the coal seam is exposed by a dragline and/or a truck-

shovel fleet. Additional blasting occurs to free the coal,

which is then transported using conventional load and

haul techniques to nearby crushers. At some operations

conveyors then transport the coal to a secondary crusher

and to storage facilities. At the coal handling facility, the

coal is crushed, blended and loaded into trains to meet

customer specifications.

ReclamationAfter mining is complete, topsoil and overburden are

replaced and contoured to approximate the preexisting

landscape. The soil is seeded with native plants providing

diverse vegetation for livestock or wildlife grazing.

Reclamation sites are monitored and maintained until

plant growth regains its natural state.

COMMUNITY COMMENTS

““Kennecott Energy's presence is woven intothe social fabric that is Douglas and

Converse County. The company's and its

employees' deep involvement in activities

and community events drives much of what

makes this a special place to live. Their

support, financial and through many hours

of volunteer time, is invaluable in a small

community.

Kennecott and its workforce are integral to

Converse County's economic health as well.

Aside from the obvious economic impact,the company frequently steps up to the plate

whenever the need arises, making Kennecott

a great corporate neighbor that is truly

appreciated by all.””

Matt Adelman, Publisher, Douglas Budget

KEC FINANCIAL RESULTS

photo courtesy of the

Douglas Area Chamber of Commerce

KEC FINANCIAL RESULTS

2004 2003 2002 2001

Production (Mt) 130 119 116 118

Revenue (US $M) $1,097 $951 $950 $882

Net Earnings (US $M) $119 $88 $90 $84

Reserve Base (Mt) 1,5151 1,646 1,888 1,563

Plants Served 145 130 120 124

1Does not include 195 million mineable tons in West Antelope purchased in late 2004

and finalized in early 2005.

5

ANTELOPE MINE

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LocationFifty-five miles north of Douglas (Converse County), Wyoming, in the south-central portion of the Powder River Basin.

Mine ManagerGary Rivenes

HistoryAcquired by Kennecott Energy in 1993, Antelope was previously owned by Northern Energy Resource Company

(NERCO), a mining and natural resource company owned by PacifiCorp. Its current permitted mine area covers

10,848 acres. In December 2004, Antelope Mine was the successful bidder for the West Antelope lease tract

containing 195 million mineable tons of coal.

GeologyAntelope is located at the south end of the Wyodak seam outcrop, the principal economic coal seam in the Wyoming

portion of the Powder River Basin. Antelope mines two different seams, the Anderson and Canyon, which are 40 and

35 feet thick, respectively.

Coal Quality8,850 Btu subbituminous thermal coal

Ash and Sulfur content:

5.25% Ash

0.22% Sulfur

ProductionAntelope's production has increased each year for the past 19 years.

The mine is permitted for 32 million tons of coal annually and has a

reserve of 274 million recoverable tons as of December 31, 2004.

Coal mined from Antelope is shipped primarily to Illinois,

Oklahoma, Michigan and Texas.

WorkforceAntelope employs 300 people (85% male, 15% female). Sixty-five

percent of employees reside in Converse County, and thirty-five

percent reside in Campbell County. The mine is a nonunion

operation.

Awards2004 - Four environmental awards for Excellence in Surface Mine

Reclamation

2000 - Safe Sam & Safest Coal Mine in Wyoming

2000 - Sentinels of Safety award by the U.S. Department

of Labor and the National Mining Association

7

SSttaattiissttiiccss......

Mine Equipment

1 Dragline4 Shovels1 Front-End Loader

20 240-ton Haul Trucks5 190-ton Haul Trucks

Production History

1994 8.2 million tons1995 10.8 million tons1996 12.0 million tons1997 13.6 million tons1998 19.4 million tons1999 22.7 million tons2000 22.9 million tons2001 24.6 million tons2002 26.8 million tons2003 29.5 million tons2004 29.7 million tons

COLOWYO MINE

Outstanding EmployeeIn 2004, Kennecott Energy

searched for an Outstanding

Employee on and off the job.

The criteria specified that this

person, nominated by their

peers, should represent a

hard-working, motivated

employee and community

volunteer. Jaime Gish,

equipment operator on

Production A crew at Colowyo

Mine, was selected as Kennecott Energy's 2004 Outstanding

Employee.

Jaime is a safety-focused, dedicated employee who is always

interested in increasing her work knowledge and experience.

She has submitted many safety improvement ideas that have

been implemented to ensure a safer work environment.

Jaime has operated a variety of equipment and has actively

participated in driving forward the risk assessment process

and procedures.

Jaime spends much of her free time with United Way of

Moffat County. She has served on the Board of Directors as

Campaign Chair, Vice President and past President. Jaime is

currently a member of the Allocations Committee and has

played an important part in increasing employee United

Way contributions from a level of $15,000 to over $35,000.

She maintains a busy schedule with community organiza-

tions while working a 12-hour day/night rotating shift sched-

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8

LocationNorthwest section of the Uinta Basin, between Craig and Meeker (Moffat County), Colorado.

Mine ManagerKeith Haley

HistoryKennecott Energy Company acquired the Colowyo Mine in 1994 from the W.R. Grace Company.

GeologyEight different coal seams are mined sequentially at Colowyo.

The seams range from 18 inches to 14 feet thick.

Coal Quality10,450 average Btu subbituminous thermal coal

Ash and Sulfur content:

5.50% Ash

0.40% Sulfur

ProductionColowyo is permitted to mine 9 million tons of coal annually and

has a reserve of 27 million recoverable tons as of December 31, 2004. In addition to reserves, Colowyo controls 221

million tons classified as resource that has potential for future development. Coal mined from Colowyo is sold to

utilities in the western half of the United States, primarily in Colorado, Texas, Kansas and Arizona.

WorkforceColowyo employs 272 people (92% men, 8% women) in a

nonunion environment. The majority of employees work in

production and maintenance with a small number employed in

management and administration.

Safety Awards1991, 1995 & 1997 - Sentinels of Safety1998 - All-time U.S. Department of Labor safety record for a single surface mine by working 2.6 million hours over a three-year period without a lost-time accident.1996, 1997 & 2000-2004 - Colorado Mine Health and SafetyRecognition award

Special RecognitionSince 1983, Colowyo has received numerous reclamation awards from the Colorado Division of Mining and Geology

and Colorado Mining Association. The most recent award, in 2004, was for being the first Colorado coal company to

use modern highwall coal mining techniques.

9

Production History

1996 5.7 million tons1997 5.6 million tons1998 5.8 million tons1999 5.6 million tons2000 5.2 million tons2001 5.8 million tons2002 5.3 million tons2003 5.0 million tons2004 6.4 million tons

SSttaattiissttiiccss......

Mine Equipment

3 Draglines2 Shovels2 Loaders9 240-ton Haul Trucks4 170-ton Haul Trucks7 50-ton Trucks

10

CORDERO ROJO MINE

In 2004, Cordero Rojo

Mine was able to achieve

an average tire life of

8,187 hours on its 240 ton

truck fleet. This exceeded

the warranty target of

8,166 hours. Joe Vaccari,

Cordero Rojo Mine

Manager, attributes the

success to a number of

factors, including: operator

awareness, good road

maintenance practices and

proactive maintenance

techniques.

Cordero Rojo reflects

Kennecott Energy's

commitment to sustainable

development through its many

reclamation efforts, including

a reclamation project along

the Belle Fourche River named

the Dean Dvorak Memorial

Valley, in honor of KEC's late

President and CEO, who at

one time served as the

Cordero Rojo Mine Manager.

LocationTwenty-four miles southeast of Gillette (Campbell County), Wyoming, in the southern portion of the Powder River

Basin.

Mine ManagerJoe Vaccari

HistoryKennecott Energy Company acquired the Cordero mine from

Sun Oil Company in 1993. It then purchased the adjacent

Caballo Rojo mine from the Marigold Land Company, a

subsidiary of Drummond Company, Inc., in 1997. The two

facilities merged operationally in 1997.

GeologyThe Cordero Rojo mine contains 15,800 acres. Cordero Rojo

mines the Wyodak seam, the principal economic coal seam in

the Wyoming portion of the Powder River Basin. The average

seam thickness at Cordero Rojo is between 55-70 feet.

Coal Quality8,420 Btu subbituminous coal

Ash and Sulfur content:

5.50% Ash

0.30% Sulfur

ProductionCordero Rojo is permitted to mine 65 million tons of coal

annually and has a reserve of 402 million recoverable tons as

of December 31, 2004. Cordero Rojo sells its coal primarily to

electric utilities in the southern and midwestern United States.

WorkforceCordero Rojo employs a union-free workforce of 470

employees (86% male, 14% female).

AwardsCordero Rojo has won the Sentinels of Safety Award an

unprecedented five times. This award, given by the U.S. Department of Labor, recognizes the U.S. surface coal mine

with the best safety performance for the year. Cordero Rojo also received the 1998 Wildlife Habitat Reclamation and

Stewardship Award from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for accomplishments in establishing wetlands

using detention dikes and pit pumpage water.

11

Production History

1994 16.4 million tons1995 14.6 million tons1996 13.0 million tons1997 28.1 million tons1998 37.0 million tons1999 45.7 million tons2000 38.6 million tons2001 43.5 million tons2002 38.0 million tons2003 36.0 million tons2004 38.8 million tons

Mine Equipment

3 Draglines7 Electric Shovels1 Front-End Loader

30 240-ton Haul Trucks2 170-ton Haul Trucks

16 Dozers

SSttaattiissttiiccss......

JACOBS RANCH MINE

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LocationFifteen miles southeast of Wright (Campbell County), Wyoming, in the southern portion of the Powder River Basin.

Mine ManagerDon Vissat

HistoryKennecott Energy Company acquired the mine's 9,284 acre permitted area from Kerr-McGee Coal Corporation in

1998. In 2001, Jacobs Ranch was the successful bidder for the

North Jacobs coal lease tract. This added 537 million tons of in-

place coal to the reserve. The permitted area has more recently

been expanded to encompass an area of 15,625 acres.

GeologyThree seams of coal from two pits. The seams are the Upper,

Middle and Lower Wyodak. The Wyodak seam is the principal

economic coal seam in the Powder River Basin. Seams range

from 5 to 60 feet in thickness.

Coal Quality8,750 Btu subbituminous coal

Ash and Sulfur content:

5.50% Ash

0.44% Sulfur

ProductionJacobs Ranch is permitted to produce 55 million tons of coal a

year and has a reserve of 551 million recoverable tons as of

December 31, 2004. Coal mined from Jacobs Ranch is primarily

shipped to the midwestern and southeastern United States.

Reclaimed LandsJacobs Ranch has 4,545 acres of permanently reclaimed land.

The majority of the reclaimed acres are used to summer-graze

approximately 1,000 head of cattle.

WorkforceJacobs Ranch currently employs 496 people in a nonunion

environment (86% male and 14% female).

Special Recognition2004 - Office of Surface Mining National Award - Outstanding Reclamation Efforts and Exemplary Stewardship

2003 - Excellence in Rangeland Stewardship Award - Wyoming Section of the Society for Range Management

2001 - Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation - Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Land

Quality Division (WDEQ-LQD)

2000 - Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Wildlife Habitat Reclamation and Stewardship Award

1997 - U.S. Dept. of the Interior Office of Surface Mining & Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation -

WDEQ-LQD - Hall of Fame Reclamation and Stewardship Award

1996 - U.S. Department of Labor - Sentinels of Safety Award

1995, 1996 & 1997 - Wyoming State Mine Inspector's Office - Safest Wyoming Mine Award

13

Production History

1994 20.5 million tons1995 24.6 million tons1996 24.6 million tons1997 27.1 million tons1998 29.1 million tons1999 29.1 million tons2000 28.3 million tons2001 29.3 million tons2002 31.7 million tons2003 35.7 million tons2004 38.6 million tons

Mine Equipment

8 Shovels1 Front-End Loader

10 Dozers42 240-ton Haul Trucks1 170-ton Haul Trucks

SSttaattiissttiiccss......

14

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SPRING CREEK MINE

LocationNorthwest of Decker (Big Horn County), Montana, in the northern section of the Powder River Basin

HistoryAcquired by Kennecott Energy Company in 1993 and previously

owned by NERCO Mining Company, a mining and natural

resource company of PacifiCorp.

Mine ManagerClayton Walker

GeologyThe Anderson-Dietz seam is the only seam mined from four pits on

the 6,700-acre site. The average thickness of the seam is 80 feet. The

seam ranges from approximately 50 to 220 feet below the surface.

Coal Quality9,350 Btu subbituminous thermal coal

Ash and Sulfur content:

4.00% Ash

0.33% Sulfur

ProductionSpring Creek is permitted for 15 million tons of coal annually and has

a reserve of 248 million recoverable tons as of December 31, 2004.

Coal mined from Spring Creek is sold to electric power generation

and heating utilities, industrials, schools, and hospitals in the states of

Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Arizona, North Dakota, South

Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, New

Hampshire and various Canadian provinces.

ReclamationSpring Creek has approximately 3,000 acres disturbed and 550 acres completely reclaimed.

WorkforceSpring Creek employs 141 people (94% male, 6% female) in a nonunion environment. Thirty-two percent of the

Spring Creek workforce has 15 plus years of service with Kennecott Energy.

Safety MilestonesIn May 2004, Spring Creek employees completed two years with no lost-time incidents. Spring Creek completed

2004 with no lost-time incidents, bringing its total to 986 days without a lost time and 533 days without a medical

reportable.

15

Production History

1994 9.9 million tons1995 8.5 million tons1996 9.0 million tons1997 8.3 million tons1998 11.3 million tons1999 11.0 million tons2000 11.3 million tons2001 9.7 million tons2002 8.9 million tons2003 8.9 million tons2004 12.0 million tons

Mine Equipment

1 Dragline3 Electric Shovels1 Hydraulic Backhoe7 190-ton Haul Trucks

bbuussiinneessss iimmpprroovveemmeenntt bbyy eeaacchh aanndd eevveerryy kkeeyy ttoo iittss ssuucccceessss..”” -- CCllaayyttoonn WWaallkkeerr,, MMiinnee MMaannaaggeerr

SSttaattiissttiiccss......

COMMUNITY COMMENTS““The Sheridan County Chapter of theWyoming State Historical Society was chartered in 1960 and is the largest chapterin the state with over 200 members. Ourmission statement is: to preserve and shareour rich heritage with present and futuregenerations. With the generous support ofour community and area donors, we wereable to keep our Wyoming history alive withvisitors from 24 states and seven foreigncountries.

Kennecott Energy Company gave a generous

donation of $5000 over two years. With this

kind donation, we have been able to pur-

chase conservation and preservation materi-

als for proper storage and display artifacts

on and off exhibit.””

Linda Prill, President,

Sheridan County Historical Society

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

As part of the Rio Tinto Group, Kennecott Energy is

committed to sustainable development. The company

continually strives to maintain a balance between the

safe, responsible development of mineral resources, meet

the nation's growing energy needs, and build long-lasting

relationships with its local communities. Sustainable

development is defined as "meeting the needs of the

present without compromising the needs of future

generations." Kennecott Energy's motto is Provide for

Today, Protect for Tomorrow. The company

incorporates sustainable development into everyday

business by balancing economic, social, environmental

and good management practices. These sustainable

development principles are based on an understanding

that the company is part of an ever-growing global and

local community, and that environmental health and

economic stability are mutually dependent, not mutually

exclusive.

By focusing on people, the environment, resource

stewardship and management systems, Kennecott Energy

can better manage risk, create business options, reduce

costs, attract the best employees, gain access to new

markets and resources, and deliver a better product to its

customers. In short, Kennecott Energy establishes

long-term sustainable value in the company.

photo courtesy of Craig Chamber of Commerce

photo courtesy of the Sheridan Historical

OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR PEOPLE

Kennecott Energy is a part of an ever-changing global and

local community. As part of that community, the

company has an obligation to help ensure the community

continues to grow and becomes vibrant, both

economically and socially. Kennecott Energy realizes it

depends on the viability of its local communities to

conduct its business as much as the community relies on

the company to help it meet its needs by paying wages

and taxes. Community giving is good, community

planning is better. Kennecott Energy wants to help its

communities and employees become sustainable and

viable well into the future, so the company gets involved

in a variety of ways. It also focuses on community

planning; encouraging economic diversity by helping

attract new businesses; supporting social services through

volunteer work; emphasizing safety at home and at work

as a key part of Kennecott Energy culture; and by

minimizing any local environmental impact from its

operations.

KEC is committed to building long-lasting

relationships with our local communities,

especially those communities where a large

number of our employees live and where our

principal business transactions occur.

Kennecott Energy Community Giving

� Since 1994, Kennecott Energy has directly invested more than $4 million in community

involvement and local charities. In 2004, the

company gave $383,886.

� Tsunami relief

� Matching gift plan - Employees contributed more than $150,000 of their own funds to charities,

which was matched by corporate dollars.

The Matching Gift Plan was put in place to encourage our

employees to donate to charitable and needy

organizations. Kennecott Energy will match all employee

contributions one hundred percent, up to $5,000 per

employee and $40,000 annually.

Global Principles Rio Tinto Processes Kennecott Goals

The Sustainable Development Journey

Environment

Product Stewardship

‘Sustainable Value’

Health & Safety

Operational Excellence

People Commitment

Economic Viability

Stewardship

Communities

Management

People Systems

Value Chain

Create businessopportunities

Reduce business risks

Attract & retain best employees

Access new markets and resources

Deliver better product

Reduce costs

Gov

erna

nce

Communities

photo courtesy of Children's Developmental Services of Campbell County

Kennecott Energy employees live in seven different

communities to support the work done at the

company's five mine sites. To better understand the

needs of the communities and to improve its many

community efforts, Kennecott Energy conducted

Community Needs Assessments in five of those

communities. This process involved interviewing

community leaders to discuss the most significant

challenges they saw for the region. Kennecott Energy

then sent employees out into the community to

interview a broad cross section of its neighbors.

The company is grateful to communities who helped

gather people's opinions and share their insights.

Kennecott Energy's commitment to sustainable

development means it is committed to the long-term

health of the communities where it operates and

where its employees live. The company looks

forward to working with its communities to identify

and support projects that will be of lasting benefit to

everyone.

The Community Needs Assessments identified some

real challenges for local communities. Evaluating and

sharing the results of the surveys is the first step to

identifying which issues can be addressed through the

combined resources of the community, the local

government and neighboring businesses.

Kennecott energy is pleased with the response to this

effort and hopes the results will help drive further,

meaningful discussion. The result of the assessments

will be used to help find the best way for Kennecott

Energy to fulfill its role as a good citizen within its

communities, with a focus on sustainable

development.

Assessment ProcessThe Community Needs Assessments involved a cross

section of Kennecott Energy's neighbors, including

representatives of local business, community groups,

financial organizations, health professionals,

government officials and educators. Community

leaders were asked to participate in

an interview conducted by

Kennecott Energy

managers

and

employ-

ees. The

interviews

explored

various

issues facing

local commu-

nities ranging

from "drug and

Leaders were asked to discuss fifteen economic,

environmental and social issues as strengths or

weaknesses. The interviewees rated each issue based

on the nature of the challenge it presents to the

community. They then were asked to comment on

each issue and suggest possible solutions.

18

KEC COMMUNITY

CRAIG - DOUGLAS - GILLETTE - MEEKER -

alcohol abuse"

to "quality of life."

19

NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

NEWCASTLE - SHERIDAN - WRIGHT

COMMUNITY COMMENTS

““In 2004, Kennecott Energy played a major role inhelping the Boys and Girls Club of CampbellCounty reach its goal of building a $100,000endowment fund. Working with the WyomingCommunity Foundation, Kennecott Energy helpedthe Boys & Girls Club host a breakfast endowmentfundraiser with Governor Dave Freudenthal as the

guest of honor. Kennecott Energy provided

meeting space to organize the event and kicked off

the fundraising effort by donating the first $10,000

for the cause. Overall, the event raised nearly

$40,000 in just two weeks.

Kennecott's leadership and generosity toward the

youth of Campbell County were the true key to the

incredible success of this important fundraising

event.””

Eric Scalzo, Executive Director,

Campbell County Boys and Girls Club

Wyoming State Governor Dave Freudenthal with Bret

Clayton, KEC President & CEO, at Endowment Breakfast.

Looking ForwardIn 2005, we will further explore ways to utilize theresults of the Community Needs Assessments in ourcommunity planning process.

OUR CUSTOMERS

18%

Kennecott Provides Coal to 28 States

Fuels approximately 6% of US Electric Generation

Supplies 145 industrial, utility and merchant Plants i n the US, Canada, and South America

14%

9% 8%

7%

8%

5%

5%

3%

2%

4%

5%

4%

3%

3%

<1%

<1%

<1%

<1%

<1%

<1%

<1%

<1%

<1%

Export <1%

<1%

<1% <1%

(Percent of Kennecott Energy Production sent to each state.)

Fuels approximately 6% of US Electric Generation

Supplies 145 industrial, utility and merchantplants in the US, Canada and South America

21

SERVICEIn 2004, Kennecott Energy shipped thermal coal to elec-

tric utilities and some industrial customers in 28 states,

two Canadian provinces and to South America. Kennecott

Energy products are shipped throughout the United States;

however, the company's primary markets are the nation's

south central, midwest, north central and western regions.

By targeting these areas, Kennecott Energy's marketing

strategy is focused on increasing value for its low sulfur

compliance coals and on optimizing the mix of sales

among its mines.

In 2004, Kennecott Energy's customer base included 63

electric utilities and industrial customers. Some of its

largest customers are American Electric Power (AEP),

Southern Company, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA),

Detroit Edison and Ameren.

Customer Service

The Kennecott Energy Marketing Group is strongly

committed to ensuring it is recognized as an industry

leader for its professionalism and ethical operation and

that there is a high level of transparency in all it does.

Customer representatives are encouraged to visit company

operations and to meet and talk with personnel at all

levels of the organization. Technical reviews and audits

of mine loadout facilities, including product weigh stations

and laboratory operations, are welcomed.

Kennecott Energy values productive, long-term customer

relationships and is proud of the fact that a large

proportion of its customer base has purchased coal from

its mines since the company was formed in 1993.

Kennecott Energy seeks to maintain its position through a

commitment to provide a strong after-sales service to all its

customers. A key aspect of this service is maintaining

regular communications with both the railways and

logistics group within our customer base to ensure

deliveries are on time and in line with contract

expectations. The increased use of Western coal and, in

particular, Southern Powder River Basin coal, means close

attention to mine and rail activities is critical to

maintaining expected delivery service.

Prompt communication of coal quality data is another

important aspect of Kennecott Energy's customer service.

Information on the energy content (Btu level), sulfur,

sodium and ash levels of all shipments are relayed to

customers before the coal reaches their facilities. This

allows customers to make necessary product blending and

process adjustments and ensures their facilities can run at

maximum energy-generating efficiency while maintaining

low emission operations.

In the event of a process disruption at a customer facility,

Kennecott Energy places a high priority in assisting in

whatever manner possible and in seeking to resolve any

issues promptly and equitably.

Through regular interaction and visits to customer

facilities, Kennecott Energy works proactively to develop

product specifications and supply options that will provide

customers further efficiency improvements. This is

particularly important as the use of western coal continues

to grow and the legislative landscape for power generation

continues to change and evolve. Options provided to

customers include control of coal quality parameters,

innovative delivery options, flexible commercial and

supply arrangements, and technical expertise and support

where requested.

COMMUNITY COMMENTS

““Great River Energy's relationship withKennecott Energy Company (KEC) has been

pleasurable from the beginning, and our

contacts at KEC have always been

approachable. Even before we began to

receive deliveries from the Spring Creek

Mine, KEC was very responsive to our needs

and assisted us in addressing important

issues related to storing and burning coal

and transportation. Great River looks

forward to a continued successful

relationship with KEC.””

Carl SulzerManager of Generation Services

Great River Energy

photo courtesy of Great River Energy

22

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Environmental PerformanceKennecott Energy recognizes it must conduct its business

in a way that minimizes impacts on the environment,

which means doing more than is required by law to

ensure reclamation efforts are successful. Excellence in

environmental performance is essential to Kennecott

Energy's business success.

Wherever possible the company prevents, or otherwise

minimizes, mitigates and remediates, harmful effects its

operations might have on the environment. Kennecott

Energy works with its customers to help them find better

ways to use the company's products so it can help

ensure all of their benefits are delivered. Kennecott

Energy regularly audits, reviews and reports on its envi-

ronmental initiatives to guarantee they are implemented

and effective.

� As with safety, it is the responsibility of all employees to conduct operations in a way that

protects the quality of the water, air and land in

the surrounding environment.

� Excellence in environmental performance is essential to Kennecott Energy's business success.

� Compliance with all environmental laws andregulations is the foundation on which Kennecott

Energy builds its environmental performance.

� Kennecott Energy has successful environmental stories to tell and is happy to share them

with

Colowyo Colowyo was also honored for developing an effective

pollution prevention (P2) program. Some elements of

the program include integrating the P2 program with

other plans and policies; intensive labeling procedures;

inclusion of contractors in the program; annual emissions

tracking and the Morgan Creek Ranching for Wildlife

project.

The Colorado Mining Association developed its Pollution

Prevention Program under a grant from the Colorado

Department of Public Health and Environment.

Companies voluntarily participating in the program must

submit a detailed certification demonstrating compliance

with one or more protocols designed to protect the

environment by reducing or eliminating the use of toxic

chemicals, reclaiming to the standards of the program

and other best management practices. Colowyo's plan

surpassed the pollution code objectives.

Jacobs Ranch Jacobs Ranch Mine received the Excellence in Surface

Mining award from the Wyoming Department of

Environmental Quality for reclamation of their

"playa-wetland." Playa-wetlands are large shallow lakes

that dry out during certain seasons. The Excellence in

Surface Mining awards are presented for development of

innovative techniques that have widespread application

to other areas and for outstanding on-the-ground

reclamation performance.

Spring CreekSpring Creek hosted nearly 20 people on a field

reclamation tour sponsored jointly with the Montana

Department of Environmental Quality. Participants in

the field tour included members of the Northern Plains

Resource Council and the Citizens Coal Council as well

as neighboring ranchers. The tour focused on

reclamation of mined lands.

23

SITE RECOGNITION

COMMUNITY COMMENTS““In 2004, Newcastle Elementary School tooka magical reading and math adventurethanks to the support of community spon-sors like Kennecott Energy.

The Polar Express Academic Challengeopened the doors to each child's heart andevery classroom as each child was grantedthe wish of having their very own The PolarExpress book to keep. We hope that this

Magical Polar Journey will last and last in

the memories of all our children who

experienced this Academic Blast. Believing

in children is what Kennecott Energy does

best and, thanks to their support, our

children read a grand total of 6,773 books,

which was much more than we ever would

have guessed.””

Michelle Ausmann, Title One Reading,

Newcastle Elementary School

photo courtesy of Newcastle Elementary School

2004 Target 1.15 gallons/mining unit

2004 Performance 0.88 gallons/mining unit (areduction of 24% from2003 due to identificationand priority use of poorquality water instead offreshwater. Freshwater isdefined as water with aquality with less than 1500parts per million TotalDissolved Solids).

2005 ObjectiveMaintain use rates at 0.88gallons per mining unit(representing a 23 percentuse reduction from the2004 target level) whileembedding water reductionpractices into theKennecott Energy culture.

2004 Target 0.558 ratio of open area tototal disturbed area.

2004 Performance0.517 ratio of open area tototal disturbed area (theinverse of the ratio represents the relative rateof contemporaneous reclamation; this represents a slightdecrease -- 2.4% -- inreclamation rate compared to the ratio of0.505 in 2003).

2005 ObjectiveMaintain the open to disturbed area ratio at0.517 (representing a 7%decrease in open areafrom the 2004 targetlevel).

ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES & TARGETS

CO2 Equivalent

Emissions

Freshwater

UseLand

Stewardship

Energy Use

2004 Target1.45 tonnes carbondioxide equivalent(CO2-e) emissions perthousand mining units.

2004 Performance 1.31 tonnes CO2-e perthousand mining units (areduction of nearly 10%from 2003 levels).

2005 Objective Maintain emission ratesat 1.31 tonnes CO2-eper thousand miningunits (representing a9.7% emissions reduction from the 2004target level) whileembedding emissionreduction practices intothe Kennecott Energyculture.

2004 Target 11.53 Gigajoules per thousand mining units (adjusted to address additional energy use directly required tostabilize a highwall at one oper-ation for safety and productivityreasons).

2004 Performance 11.09 Gigajoules per thousandmining units (this represents a1.6% increase over 2003,essentially demonstratingprogress of energy-saving actionplans to more than offset the5.7% additional energy use projected to accomplish thehighwall stabilization activities).

2005 Objective Maintain use rates at 11.09Gigajoules per thousand mining units (representing a3.8% use reduction from the2004 target level).

25

Partnerships

Gillette Nature Center Feasibility Project Kennecott Energy is located in the heart of one of the

most extensive and intact sagebrush prairies in the

contiguous lower United States. This makes the land a

priority habitat that supports a number of bird species

and which is constantly confronted with a variety of

competing land use priorities.

In an effort to increase public education about the role of

this habitat in important conservation efforts and to

increase community awareness of Kennecott Energy's

environmental sustainability efforts, Kennecott Energy

teamed up with the Rio Tinto Partnership Action Fund,

BirdLife International and Audubon Wyoming (a state

chapter of the National Audubon Society), to examine

the opportunities behind developing a Gillette-based

nature center.

The proposed center would become part of a network of

community-based programs across the United States that

focus on creating widespread appreciation for the

nation's natural resources and their role in conserving

bird habitat through careful and sustainable management.

The partnership was formed to take advantage of

National Audubon's unprecedented experience in setting

up and running similar nature centers. The proposed

Gillette Nature Center would be developed to target

audiences, including school children, families and com-

munity groups, and visitors traveling along Wyoming's

Interstate Highway 90.

The center would fulfill a number of Kennecott Energy

objectives, such as community resource and tourism

development and strategic biodiversity action planning.

It would also demonstrate Kennecott Energy's existing

land use and contiguous rehabilitation programs.

This new project is being developed under the direction

of Audubon Wyoming's Gillette Program Director Jim

Handley. Mr. Handley is developing a long-term vision

for the center and is working with Kennecott Energy to

determine the best options for program development and

to profile a range of center options and requirements.

Kennecott Energy also teamed up with Rio Tinto, BirdLife

International and the National Audubon Society in 2004

to conduct four public birding events in Wyoming and

Colorado.

One of the goals of the birding events is to provide

valued nature appreciation experiences for local

communities.

A total of 76 different bird species were sighted or

identified by call during the four events.

26

2004 HEALTH & SAFETY

How Safe Are We?Kennecott Energy believes all accidents are preventable and

devotes considerable resources to maintaining a safe,

accident-free workplace and an actively caring safety culture.

This culture requires the commitment of everyone in the

company, regardless of position. And, as a culture, employees

are trained and encouraged to consider safety when they are

off duty.

Numerous programs have been implemented to help KEC

eliminate injuries. While the company's performance sets the

standard for

safety in the

industry, the

company and its

workers continue

to strive for

higher levels of

excellence.

Kenecott Energy

has set a target of

reducing lost-time

incidents by 20

percent per

annum, with an

overall goal of zero accidents for all operations and contrac-

tors. Successful company safety elements include individual

accountability, performance recognition, safety system

enhancements and contractor safety measures. All sites

to implement individual, innovative systems to enhance

safety.

Because safety is a value, it is never compromised.

Considerable effort is made to minimize risk for employees

and others through the following systems.

Incident Investigation and Root Cause AnalysisIf an incident has occurred, root cause analyses are performed

to identify and correct any root causes and prevent any

reoccurrence.

Safety InteractionClose to 90 percent of injuries are caused by at-risk human

behavior. Kennecott Energy practices safety interactions to

recognize and reinforce safe behaviors. These interactions

help employees prevent injuries by committing to practice

safety.

Take 5The "Take 5" pre-task risk assessment program is a tool for

employees to identify and control previously unrecognized

hazards. Employees are to stop, analyze

the task, actively search for hazards and

then apply controls to reduce or

eliminate hazards prior to beginning

work. The process has a ranking system

to alert the employee to the level of risk

involved in the task.

1. THINK THROUGH THE TASK

2. SPOT THE HAZARD

3. ASSESS THE RISK

4. MAKE THE CHANGES

5. DO THE JOB SAFELY

Contractor Safety StandardsKennecott Energy Company's safety culture does not end at

its employees. Contractors are also considered to be members

of this important system. The culture continues to grow from

a commitment by employees and contractors to provide and

ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

Kennecott Wellness ProgramThe Kennecott Energy Wellness Program allows employees to

participate in a comprehensive health profile program that

measures health risks. These risks range from cardiovascular

disease to high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol to

weight problems. The goal of the program is to detect these

conditions early, then provide information on potential

solutions ranging from regular exercise to better nutrition.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

NATIONAL AVERAGE

ALL INCIDENT FREQUENCY RATE (AIFR)

KEC EMPLOYEESKEC EMPLOYEES & CONTRACTORS

27

KENNECOTT ENERGY COMPANYHealth, Safety and Environmental Policy

Coal mining makes a vital contribution to world development by providing the fuel source for products nec-

essary for modern society. Kennecott Energy Company recognizes that extraction of the earth's coal

resources must be accomplished in a manner which minimizes impacts on the environment, local

communities, and its employees. Kennecott Energy Company believes that proper concern and regard for

health, safety and the environment is an essential element of a successful business strategy.

Every employee is expected to adhere to the spirit as well as the letter of this policy. Managers andSupervisors are expected to implement this policy, take responsibility for and be informed about health, safety, and environmental risks and standards, operate safe and environmentally sound facilities, ensure thatall contractors abide by this policy, and promptly advise senior management of any deviation from this poli-cy which comes to their attention. Kennecott Energy Company will assist its affiliates to develop and imple-ment health, safety, and environmental programs appropriate for their activities.

It is the policy of Kennecott Energy Company to conduct its affairs and to operate in a manner that protects the environment and safeguards employees and the public from unacceptable risk. KennecottEnergy Company will:

Kennecott Energy Company’s guidel ines to carry outthis policy are to:

Establish processes to ensure that laws and regulationsapplicable to operations are known and implemented;

Protect people, property and the environment by conducting programs for occupational health, safe ty,and environmental excellence, and continue to improve the effectiveness of its health, safety, and environmental processes;

Adopt health, safety, and environmental standards that build from a foundation of compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

Identify and minimize health, safety, or environmental risks related to operations, and support appropriate scientific research thereon;

Integrate health, safety, and environmental considerations into business planning;

Communicate health, safety, and environmental information about operations to employees, government agencies, and the public, and contribute to local community life and the development of sound legislation and regulation;

Design facilities and processes that pro tect health andsafety, prevent pollution, conserve resources and energy, minimize the use of hazardous materials, reduce waste, and exemplify appropriate best available practice.

Regularly report to its Board of Directors, on health, safety, and envir onmental performances, financial implications, results of regular reviews, and any related incidents.

28

ECONOMIC

COAL AS A VIABLE INVESTMENT

Coal produced in the United States generates more than half

of the nation's electricity. Demand for electricity continues

to grow, and an affordable, stable energy supply continues

to be an important factor in a healthy US economy. For our

nation to maintain its energy independence, coal must

continue to play an important role in a balanced national

energy portfolio. Kennecott Energy mines are prepared to

help supply economical fuel to meet energy needs, although

fuel alone will not meet future energy demands. Capacity to

generate and transport energy must be added in an

environmentally responsible manner to maintain a healthy

national economy and all that it provides. Kennecott Energy

is committed to investing in new technologies that will

enable building new, cleaner power plants.

� In 2004, 52% of the nation's electricity was produced by coal-fired generators.

� More than 30% of the nation's coal is produced each year by the Powder River Basin.

� 6% of the nation's electricity is derived from coal produced by Kennecott Energy.

� Coal continues to be a reliable/abundant/safe andincreasingly clean energy source.

� America has a far larger domestic supply of coal than of any other fossil fuel used to produce

electricity. Based on the current rate of

consumption, US coal supplies could last for more

than 250 years.

COMMUNITY COMMENTS

““In January 2004 the Campbell CountyEconomic Development Corporation, togeth-er with leadership from Kennecott Energy,held a community forum to discuss housing

in our community and its importance in

workforce recruitment. As a result of those

discussions, a Housing Task Force was

formed, again with Kennecott Energy staff

playing a lead role. As a community leader

Kennecott Energy stepped up to the plate,

generously contributing $15,000 toward the

cost of a housing needs assessment. The

assessment was completed in December

2004 and provides the community with a

wide array of tasks and directions for meet-

ing their housing needs now and into the

future.

Kennecott Energy's commitment to their

communities and their workforce spearhead-

ed this effort and sparked other funding con-

tributions as well.””

Susan Bigelow, Executive Director ofCampbell County Economic Development

Corporation

The Journey towards Sustainable Business

Improvement

In 2004, Kennecott Energy embarked on a wide-

reaching exercise to improve its financial performance.

The company realized its entire organization had to

evolve for it to effectively tackle the challenges of 2004

and beyond. The Business Improvement Process (BIP)

was launched to address efficiency and effectiveness at

our operating sites and to address similar opportunities in

marketing, logistics, human resources, technical services,

finance and other support groups. BIP was designed as a

structured approach to addressing Kennecott Energy's six

elements of sustainable development, namely

economic viability, product stewardship, asset use and

resource efficiency, organizational culture, environmental

stewardship, and community relationships.

Based on the analysis performed in early 2004, Business

Improvement teams held numerous brainstorming

sessions with employees across the organization to help

Kennecott Energy attain best-in-class performance. With

the tremendous participation of our workforce, more than

1000 distinct ideas were generated with a large portion

of those evaluated for impact. Key selection criteria for

an idea to become a project were: the idea's inherent

value

to the organization, its ability to be sustainable and its

potential for positive safety and environmental impact.

By year's end, more than 150 projects were either being

implemented or were in the process of being implement-

ed. Each project was managed internally, demonstrating

the project management and leadership capabilities of

Kennecott Energy's employees.

BIP projects helped deliver close to $30 million in added

value with efforts that cut across key business drivers,

including revenue enhancement, productivity, capital and

cost savings. BIP has allowed Kennecott Energy to share

best practices internally and to benchmark itself against

other business units in and outside Rio Tinto.

The Future of Business ImprovementKennecott Energy has set high but achievable targets for

delivering sustainable value in 2005. All aspects of the

company will be called on to maintain a focus on

business improvement to sustain the benefits realized in

2004. Company leaders will be challenged to conduct

timely and frequent interactions, employees will be asked

to identify more ways for the company to improve, and

performance reporting systems will be integrated to

monitor progress. Other essential cornerstones for

continued sustainability will be a focus on investing in

skills that will help sustain Business Improvement and the

integration of Rio Tinto corporate business

improvement initiatives.

29

SUSTAINABILITY

Jeane Hull, Vice President, Technical Services & Business Improvement

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT

KEC IS CLEAN COAL

KKeennnneeccootttt EEnneerrggyy aanndd iittss ppaarreenntt ccoommppaannyy,, RRiiooTTiinnttoo,, aarree ccoommmmiitttteedd ttoo wwoorrkkiinngg hhaanndd iinn hhaanndd wwiitthhiinndduussttrryy ppaarrttnneerrss aanndd tthhee UU..SS.. DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt ooffEEnneerrggyy ttoo ppuurrssuuee rreesseeaarrcchh aanndd ddeevveellooppmmeenntt ooff cclleeaannccooaall tteecchhnnoollooggyy.. TThhee ccoommppaannyy iiss sseeeekkiinngg ssoolluuttiioonnsstthhaatt bbaallaannccee tthhee nneeeedd ffoorr aaffffoorrddaabbllee eenneerrggyy wwiitthhrreessppoonnssiibbllee ddeevveellooppmmeenntt ooff rreessoouurrcceess..

31

TECHNOLOGYKennecott Energy Company believes that, as we look for

ways to improve the way coal is utilized, it is important

to address the following issues:

� Short-term emissions reductions of conventional pollutants. Reforming the Clean Air Act will

help accomplish this goal in a more rapid and

cost effective manner. Kennecott Energy

believes market-based mechanisms, such as

cap-and-trade, are the most effective way to

reduce emissions from coal-fueled generation.

� Longer-term needs to develop near-zero

emissions technologies. Although the benefits

from this effort will not be felt immediately,

immediate action is required to begin

developing these technologies or they will not

be available when required, resulting in higher

energy and environmental costs for US

taxpayers. If we are going to maximize the

value of the extensive US coal

reserves, deep cuts in emissions are needed.

Efforts to reduce SO2, NOx and mercury

eventually will have to be expanded to include

cuts in CO2 emissions.

Long-term CommitmentKennecott Energy believes immediate action is needed to

identify cost effective, long-term solutions that minimize

the overall costs to society. Short term, policies that

result in inappropriate investment decisions have the

potential of adding significant national costs. Kennecott

considers CO2 to be a long-term issue that ultimately will

require setting long-term goals and long-term policy

approaches. Immediate efforts must focus on identifying

and developing a portfolio of technologies that will allow

significant reductions in future emissions. For this effort

to be effective it ultimately will require participation and

emissions reductions from all sectors of the economy.

Addressing coal emissions will require a balanced, broad-

based approach. Effective reductions that will not cause

undue harm to local communities will require a broad

portfolio of options, all of which must be pursued.

These options will necessarily include: increased

energy efficiency, demand-side management, advanced

conventional coal technologies, and renewable

technologies. Near-zero emissions technologies, such as

integrated gasification combined cycles (IGCC) combined

with geo-sequestration, offer significant potential to

contribute to a sustainable energy future.

Short-term Needs

In order to provide options and opportunities for the

future, the US will need to accelerate development and

deployment of low-emission technology generally and,

more specifically, carbon capture and storage (CCS or

geo-sequestration) technology. (CCS is technology that

can allow industry to capture the CO2 before it leaves

their facilities and store in deep underground reservoirs

similar to those that have held oil and natural gas for

millions of years.) Support for development of these

technologies can come in many forms from tax

incentives to direct subsidies; however, industry must not

be burdened in ways that places it in a competitive

disadvantage internationally.

Developing short-term, low-emission technology with a

focus on CCS is important for the long-term sustainability

of the nation's energy supply. Geo-sequestration has

been identified by industry experts as the key enabling

technology for the development of near-zero emission

coal-fired generation. Through the development of this

technology, CCS is expected to reduce the global cost of

emissions reductions which, in turn, will allow a more

rapid reduction in emissions.

Diversity of TechnologyGeo-sequestration, however, is only one technology in a

broad portfolio of options the US and other nations will

need to pursue in order to minimize the cost of emissions

reductions. Kennecott Energy believes the guiding

principle in this effort should be to support the lowest

cost emissions reductions wherever they may occur.

New technologies, whether they are renewables or

low-emission fossil fuel technologies, tend to have higher

costs early in their development cycle. Policies to

support the deployment of technologies that contribute to

lower emissions should apply to all technologies that

meet emissions criteria in preference to specific policies

targeting one technology.

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