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): December 29, 2010

WESTMORELAND COAL COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-11155	23-1128670
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

2 North Cascade Avenue, 2nd Floor, Colorado Springs, CO	80903
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (719) 442-2600

(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:

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 Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Election of Directors

The Board of Directors (“Board”) of Westmoreland Coal Company (the “Company”), upon recommendation of the Board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, has appointed Gail E. Hamilton, Jan B. Packwood and Robert C. Scharp (collectively, the “Incumbent Directors”) to the Board effective February 1, 2011. These appointments were formally accepted by Ms. Hamilton and Messrs. Packwood and Scharp on December 29, 2010. At this time, the Board has not made any committee assignments for the Incumbent Directors.

Each of the Incumbent Directors will receive compensation as a non-employee director in accordance with the Company’s non-employee director compensation practices, consisting of a $35,000 annual base retainer, $5,000 annual retainer for committee membership on the Audit, Compensation and Benefits, or Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, $1,000 for each telephonic meeting attended and $1,500 for each in-person meeting attended. Should the Incumbent Directors be elected by the stockholders at the annual meeting in May, they will each be entitled to receive a grant of restricted stock equal to $50,000 in value with a one-year vest.

There are no arrangements or understandings between the Incumbent Directors and any other person pursuant to which they were appointed to serve on the Company’s Board. In addition, the Incumbent Directors have no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release dated January 4, 2011

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: January 4, 2011	By:	/s/ Kevin Paprzycki
		Kevin Paprzycki Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release dated January 4, 2011

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Westmoreland Appoints Three New
Independent Directors to its Board

Colorado Springs, CO – January 4, 2011 — Westmoreland Coal Company (NYSE AMEX: WLB) announces that three new independent directors have been appointed to the Board of Directors of the company effective February 1, 2011. The new members are Gail E. Hamilton, Jan B. Packwood and Robert C. Scharp.

Ms. Gail E. Hamilton is the former Executive Vice President and General Manager of Symantec with over 30 years experience in the information technology sector. She is on the board of Arrow Electronics Inc., OpenText Corporation and Ixia. Ms. Hamilton also served as a director of Washington Group International through November 2007 when Washington Group was sold to URS.

Mr. Jan B. Packwood is the former President and Chief Executive Officer and a current member of the board of directors of Idacorp, Inc., the holding company of Idaho Power. Mr. Packwood is a 40-year veteran of the utility industry with extensive experience in the engineering, construction, operation and maintenance of electrical systems. He retired from active management in 2006.

Mr. Robert C. Scharp is a senior mining executive who is currently serving as a director of Bucyrus International and the Chairman of Shell Canada’s Mining Advisory Council. He previously was a director of Foundation Coal Holdings. Mr. Scharp joined Shell Coal Pty. Ltd. in 1997 as Chief Executive Officer and, after the Shell Coal Group was acquired by Anglo American PLC, remained as the CEO of Anglo Coal Australia Pty. Ltd. until August 2001 before returning to the United States.

“The addition of these veteran, up-through-the-ranks executives, all with relevant operational and public company board experience, enhance our ability to provide thoughtful, creative and focused answers to growth opportunities as we pursue increased shareholder value,” commented Richard Klingaman, Chairman of the Board of Westmoreland.

Westmoreland Coal Company is the oldest independent coal company in the United States. The Company’s coal operations include coal mining in the Powder River Basin in Montana and lignite mining operations in Montana, North Dakota and Texas. Its power operations include ownership of the two-unit ROVA coal-fired power plant in North Carolina. For more information, visit www.westmoreland.com.

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Contact: Keith Alessi (719) 442-2600