8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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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): November 15, 2016

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WESTMORELAND COAL COMPANY

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

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Delaware	001-11155	23-1128670
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

9540 South Maroon Circle, Suite 200 Englewood, CO	80112
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(855) 922-6463

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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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):

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

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

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

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

Item 5.02 Departure of Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Departure of Chief Financial Officer

Today Westmoreland Coal Company (the "Company") announced that on November 15, 2016, Jason Veenstra provided notice of his resignation from his position as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") and Treasurer of the Company effective December 15, 2016.

Appointment of Interim Chief Financial Officer

While the Company's search for a permanent CFO is ongoing, it has named Gary Kohn as CFO and Treasurer on an interim basis, effective immediately. Mr. Kohn, 50, is currently the Company's Vice President, Investor Relations and will continue to serve in this role while taking over the Company's principal financial officer responsibilities.

Mr. Kohn joined the Company as Vice President, Investor Relations in April 2016. Mr. Kohn held diverse leadership position in investor relations, treasury, and financial planning and analysis across several public companies including First Data, Western Union, Ciber and most recently Intrepid Potash. Mr. Kohn began his career as a CPA with a focus on audit and taxation. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Northern Colorado in 1988.

There are no family relationships between Mr. Kohn and an of our directors or executive officers and there are no arrangements or understandings between he and other persons pursuant to which he was selected as an officer. There are no related party transactions between Mr. Kohn and the Company.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Westmoreland Coal Company Press Release dated November 21, 2016

SIGNATURE

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.

	WESTMORELAND COAL COMPANY
Date: November 21, 2016	By:	/s/ Jennifer S. Grafton
		Jennifer S. Grafton SVP, Chief Administrative Officer and Secretary

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Westmoreland Coal Company Press Release dated November 21, 2016

EX-99.1

	News Release
Westmoreland Announces CFO Transition

Englewood, CO – November 21, 2016 –Westmoreland Coal Company (Nasdaq:WLB), announced today that its Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, Jason Veenstra, has decided to resign from Westmoreland effective December 15, 2016. Veenstra has elected not to relocate to the Company’s Denver headquarters as part of the ONE Westmoreland cost savings and cash optimization initiative, which included centralizing the accounting and finance function to Denver. While Westmoreland conducts a search to include internal and external candidates, Gary Kohn, currently Vice President of Investor Relations, will serve as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective immediately.

Veenstra said, “As Westmoreland continues to streamline its structure following the recent acquisitions, I believe Westmoreland is best served with a CFO sitting side-by-side with the rest of the team. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a member of this world-class organization but, after much deliberation, I have arrived at the difficult decision not to relocate my young family and to remain near our extended family in Edmonton.”

Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Paprzycki commented, “We understand and respect Jason’s decision to stay in his native Canada and wish him all the best. Jason is an outstanding executive who has made countless contributions to Westmoreland including developing and implementing the ONE Westmoreland initiative. He did an outstanding job bringing our financial organization together and exemplifies the very best in a senior finance leader. Jason will be missed both professionally and personally.”

Kohn joined Westmoreland in April 2016 to lead Westmoreland’s investor relations efforts. In addition to his investor relations focus, he has served in senior leadership positons across multiple functional areas including finance, treasury and strategy for publicly held companies including First Data, Western Union, Ciber and Intrepid Potash.

About Westmoreland Coal Company

Westmoreland Coal Company is the oldest independent coal company in the United States. Westmoreland’s coal operations include surface coal mines in the United States and Canada, underground coal mines in Ohio and New Mexico, a char production facility, and a 50% interest in an activated carbon plant. Westmoreland also owns the general partner of and a majority interest in Westmoreland Resource Partners, LP, a publicly-traded coal master limited partnership (NYSE:WMLP). Its power operations include ownership of the two-unit ROVA coal-fired power plant in North Carolina. For more information, visit www.westmoreland.com.

For further information please contact

Gary Kohn, Interim CFO and Treasurer

1-720-354-4467

gkohn@westmoreland.com

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