Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Lang Paul A
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ARCH COAL INC [ACI]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Senior VP - Operations
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
ONE CITY PLACE DRIVE, SUITE 300
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/04/2007
(Street)

ST. LOUIS, MO 63141
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 05/04/2007   M   4,900 A (1) 5,734 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Performance Rights (2) 05/04/2007   M     9,800   (3) 12/31/2008 Common Stock 9,800 (1) 9,800 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Lang Paul A
ONE CITY PLACE DRIVE
SUITE 300
ST. LOUIS, MO 63141
      Senior VP - Operations  

Signatures

 /s/ Gregory A. Billhartz, Attorney-in-Fact   05/08/2007
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The reporting person received 19,600 performance-contingent phantom shares on July 28, 2005. One-half of the performance contingent phantom shares vest if the average closing price of Arch Coal, Inc.'s common stock for a period of 20 consecutive trading days meets or exceeds $35.00, subject to the achievement of certain financial performance targets. Upon vesting of 9,800 performance contingent phantom shares on May 4, 2007, the reporting person received 4,900 shares of common stock and $180,075 in cash.
(2) Each performance-contingent phantom share represents a right to receive one share of common or the cash value thereof, unless otherwise deferred at the reporting person's election, pursuant to the Arch Coal, Inc. Executive Deferred Compensation Plan.
(3) The reporting person received 19,600 performance-contingent phantom shares on July 28, 2005. One-half of the performance-contingent phantom shares vest if the average closing price of Arch Coal's common stock for a period of 20 consecutive trading days meets or exceeds $35.00 and the other half of the performance shares vest if the average closing price of Arch Coal's common stock for a period of 20 consecutive trading days meets or exceeds $40.00, subject, in each case to the achievement of certain financial performance targets. On May 4, 2007, 9,800 performance-contingent phantom shares vested.

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