PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION (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):   March 1, 2005

PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION
__________________________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     
Delaware 1-16463 13-4004153
_____________________
(State or other jurisdiction 		_____________
(Commission 		______________
(I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
      
701 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri   63101
_________________________________
(Address of principal executive offices) 		  ___________
(Zip Code)
     
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:   (314) 342-3400

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:

[  ]  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))

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Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

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Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

Effective March 1, 2005, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Peabody Energy Corporation ("Peabody") and the United States Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") entered into a coal lease agreement on approximately 2,300 acres of land, including approximately 324 million tons of high Btu, low sulfur coal reserves in the Powder River Basin. The lease has a minimum term of 20 years and for so long thereafter as coal is produced in commercial quantities from the leased lands, subject to readjustment of lease terms at the end of the 20th lease year and each 10-year period thereafter.

Peabody is obligated to make five deferred bonus payments of $59.8 million. The first payment was made on the date the bid was awarded by the BLM; successive payments are due each year on March 1 for four years beginning in 2006. The total, undiscounted deferred bonus obligation is $299.1 million ($59.8 million of which has been paid). Production royalties required under the lease will be 12 1/2% of the value of the coal produced.

A copy of the coal lease agreement will be filed as an exhibit to Peabody's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004.





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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.

         
    PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION
          
March 7, 2005   By:   Jeffery L. Klinger
       
        Name: Jeffery L. Klinger
        Title: Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary