National Coal Corp. is engaged in mining, processing and selling bituminous steam coal from mines located in East Tennessee and North Alabama and, until March 31, 2008, in Southeast Kentucky. The Company owns the coal mineral rights to approximately 65,000 acres of land and leases the rights to approximately 17,700 additional acres excluding the Southeast Kentucky properties, known as Straight Creek, sold on March 31, 2008. As of December 31, 2008, its mining complexes included three active and two inactive underground mines, one underground mine in the development stage, one inactive and six active surface mines, and one highwall mine. In addition, it had two preparation plants and two unit train loading facilities in Tennessee served by the Norfolk Southern (NS) railroad. It holds seven permits that allow it to open new or re-open existing mines close to its operations. As of December 31, 2008, it controlled approximately 40.8 million estimated recoverable tons of coal reserves.