NACCO INDUSTRIES INC 10-K

Item 1. BUSINESS General NACCO Industries, Inc. ® (“NACCO” or the “Company”) brings natural resources to life by delivering aggregates, minerals, reliable fuels and environmental solutions through its robust portfolio of NACCO Natural Resources businesses. The Company operates under three business segments: Coal Mining, North American Mining ("NAMining") and Minerals Management. The Coal Mining segment operates surface coal mines for power generation companies and an activated carbon producer. The NAMining segment is a trusted mining partner for producers of aggregates, lithium and other minerals. The Minerals Management segment, which includes the Catapult Mineral Partners (“Catapult”) business, acquires and promotes the development of mineral interests. In addition, Mitigation Resources of North America ® (“Mitigation Resources”) provides stream and wetland mitigation solutions. The Company has items not directly attributable to a reportable segment that are not included as part of the measurement of segment operating profit, which primarily includes administrative costs related to public company reporting requirements at the parent company and the financial results of Mitigation Resources and Bellaire Corporation ("Bellaire"). Bellaire manages the Company’s long-term liabilities related to former Eastern U.S. underground mining activities. NACCO was incorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1986 in connection with the formation of a holding company structure for a predecessor corporation organized in 1913. Business Strategy During 2021, the Company launched a new branding campaign. The new branding creates a unified identity and underscores NACCO’s commitment to all of its businesses, while focusing on the execution of its two key strategies – Protect the Core and Grow and Diversify. NACCO’s portfolio of businesses now operates under the umbrella of NACCO Natural Resources. The new branding provides each business with its own unique identity that can easily be linked back to the NACCO legacy brand and includes new websites for each business, including NACCO Natural Resources, new business-specific logos and a new tagline “Bringing Natural Resources to Life”. The Company is pursuing growth and diversification by strategically leveraging its core mining and natural resources management skills to build a strong portfolio of affiliated businesses. Management continues to be optimistic about the long-term outlook for growth in the NAMining and Minerals Management segments and in the Company's Mitigation Resources business. Each of these businesses continues to expand its pipeline of potential new projects with opportunities for growth and diversification. NAMining is pursuing growth and diversification by expanding the scope of its business development activities to include potential customers who require a broad range of minerals and materials and by leveraging the Company’s core mining skills to expand the range of contract mining services it provides. The goal is to build NAMining into a leading provider of contract mining services for customers who produce a wide variety of minerals and materials. The Company believes NAMining can grow to be a substantial contributor to operating profit, delivering unlevered after-tax returns on invested capital in the mid-teens as this business model matures and achieves significant scale, but the pace of achieving these objectives will be dependent on the mix and scale of new projects. The Minerals Management segment continues to grow and diversify by selectively acquiring mineral and royalty interests in the United States, in a market and price environment that the Company believes remains well-aligned with its strategy and objectives. The Minerals Management segment will benefit from the continued development of its mineral properties without additional capital investment, as all further development costs are borne entirely by third-party producers who lease the minerals. The Company believes this business model can deliver substantial operating margins over the life of a reserve without the costs and risk that traditional oil and gas companies bear for the cost of exploration, production and/or development. Catapult, the Company’s business unit focused on managing and expanding the Company’s portfolio of oil and gas mineral and royalty interests, has developed a strong network to source and secure new acquisitions, and has several potential acquisitions under review. The goal is to construct a diversified portfolio of high-quality oil and gas mineral and royalty interests in the United States that deliver near-term cash flow yields and long-term projected growth. The Company believes this business will provide unlevered after-tax returns on invested capital in the low-to-mid-teens as the portfolio of reserves and mineral interests grows and this business model matures. Mitigation Resources continues to expand its business, which creates and sells stream and wetland mitigation credits and provides services to those engaged in permittee-responsible mitigation. This business offers an opportunity for growth and diversification in an industry where the Company has substantial knowledge and expertise and a strong reputation. The Mitigation Resources business has achieved several early successes and is positioned for additional growth. The Company's 1 Table of Contents goal is to grow Mitigation Resources into one of the ten largest U.S. providers of mitigation solutions, largely focused on streams and wetlands, initially in the southeast United States. While this business is in the early stages of development, the Company believes that Mitigation Resources can provide solid rates of return as this business matures. The Company also continues to pursue activities which can strengthen the resiliency of its existing coal mining operations. The Company remains focused on managing coal production costs and maximizing efficiencies and operating capacity at mine locations to help customers with management fee contracts be more competitive. These activities benefit both customers and the Company's Coal Mining segment, as fuel cost is a significant driver for power plant dispatch. Increased power plant dispatch results in increased demand for coal by the Coal Mining segment's customers. Fluctuating natural gas prices and availability of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, affect the amount of electricity dispatched from coal-fired power plants. Coal and natural gas traditionally have been the two largest sources of electricity generation in the United States. In many areas of the country, these two fuels compete to supply electricity based on their relative costs. U.S. natural gas prices have been more volatile than coal prices, so the cost of natural gas often determines the relative share of generation provided by natural gas and coal. Between 2015 and 2020, the cost of natural gas delivered to electric generators remained relatively low and stable. During 2021, however, natural gas prices were much higher than in recent years, generally resulting in increased dispatch of coal-fired power plants. The Company continues to look for opportunities to expand its coal mining business where it can apply its management fee business model to assume operation of existing surface coal mining operations in the United States. However, opportunities are very limited in the current environment. In addition, the political and regulatory environment is not receptive to development of new coal-fired power generation projects which would create opportunities to build and operate new coal mines. The Company is committed to maintaining a conservative capital structure as it continues to grow and diversify, while avoiding unnecessary risk. Strategic diversification will generate cash that can be re-invested to strengthen and expand the businesses. In all of its business endeavors, the Company continues to maintain the highest levels of customer service and operational excellence, with an unwavering focus on safety, environmental stewardship and people. The Company is passionately committed to working hard, doing what’s right, and bringing America's natural resources to life. Business Developments Coal Mining Segment Effective September 30, 2021, the contract mining agreement between Bisti Fuels Company, LLC (“Bisti”) and its customer, Navajo Transitional Energy Company ("NTEC") was terminated. As required under the agreement, NTEC paid the Company a termination fee of $10.3 million. As of October 1, 2021, NTEC assumed control and responsibility for operation and all reclamation of the Navajo Mine. The Coteau Properties Company (“Coteau”) operates the Freedom Mine in North Dakota. All coal production from the Freedom Mine is delivered to Basin Electric Power Cooperative (“Basin Electric”). Basin Electric utilizes the coal at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant (the “Synfuels Plant”), Antelope Valley Station and Leland Olds Station. The Synfuels Plant is a coal gasification plant, owned by Dakota Gasification Company (“Dakota Gas’), a subsidiary of Basin Electric, that manufactures synthetic natural gas and produces fertilizers, solvents, phenol, carbon dioxide, and other chemical products for sale. During 2020, Basin Electric informed Coteau that it is considering changes that may result in modifications to its Synfuels Plant that could potentially reduce or eliminate coal requirements at the Synfuels Plant. During August 2021, Bakken Energy (“Bakken”) and Basin Electric signed a non-binding term sheet to transfer ownership of the assets of Dakota Gas to Bakken. Bakken stated the closing date is expected to be April 1, 2023. As part of the term sheet between Basin Electric and Bakken, Basin Electric indicated that the Synfuels Plant will continue existing operations through 2025. The closing is subject to the satisfaction of specified conditions. Basin Electric is also considering other options for the Synfuels Plant if the transaction with Bakken does not close. Basin Electric indicated that if it decides to proceed with any changes that could reduce or eliminate the use of coal, the feedstock change is not expected to occur before 2026. The Falkirk Mining Company ("Falkirk") operates the Falkirk Mine in North Dakota. Falkirk is the sole supplier of lignite coal to the Coal Creek Station power plant pursuant to a contract under which Falkirk also supplies approximately 0.3 million tons of lignite coal per year to Spiritwood Station power plant. Coal Creek Station and Spiritwood Station are owned by Great River Energy (“GRE”). In May 2020, GRE announced its intent to sell or retire Coal Creek Station and modify Spiritwood Station to be fueled by natural gas. During June 2021, GRE entered into an agreement to sell Coal Creek Station and the adjacent high-voltage direct current transmission line to Bismarck, North Dakota-based Rainbow Energy Center, LLC (“Rainbow Energy”) and its affiliates. The 2 Table of Contents closing of this sale is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions and presently, the transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. Upon completion of the sale of Coal Creek Station, the existing Coal Sales Agreement, the existing Mortgage and Security Agreement and the existing Option Agreement between GRE and Falkirk will terminate. Falkirk and GRE have entered into a termination and release of claims agreement. Upon completion of the sale of Coal Creek Station, GRE will pay Falkirk $14.0 million in cash, as well as transfer ownership of an office building located in Bismarck, North Dakota, and convey membership units in Midwest AgEnergy to The North American Coal Corporation® (“NACoal”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NACCO. NACCO currently holds a $5.0 million investment in Midwest AgEnergy, which operates two ethanol facilities in North Dakota. If GRE's efforts to sell the power plant are successful, a new Coal Sales Agreement (“CSA”) between Falkirk and Rainbow Energy will become effective and Falkirk will supply all coal requirements of Coal Creek Station concurrent with Rainbow Energy’s acquisition of the power plant. Falkirk will no longer make any coal deliveries to GRE’s Spiritwood Station. Falkirk will be paid a management fee and Rainbow Energy will be responsible for funding all mine operating costs and directly or indirectly providing all of the capital required to operate the mine. The CSA specifies that Falkirk will perform final mine reclamation, which will be funded in its entirety by Rainbow Energy. The initial production period is expected to run ten years from the effective date of the CSA, but the CSA may be extended or terminated early under certain circumstances. If Rainbow Energy terminates the CSA and closes Coal Creek Station before 2027, Falkirk will be entitled to an additional payment from GRE under the terms of the termination and release of claims agreement. The additional payment amount ranges from $8 million if the closure occurs before 2024 to $2 million if the closure occurs in 2026. To support the transfer to new ownership, Falkirk has agreed to a reduction in the current per ton management fee from the effective date of the new CSA through May 31, 2024. After May 31, 2024, the per ton management fee increases to a higher base in line with current fee levels, and thereafter adjusts annually according to an index which tracks broad measures of U.S. inflation. If GRE’s efforts to sell the power plant are not successful and GRE elects to prematurely close Coal Creek Station, the early termination of the CSA would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. The Sabine Mining Company (“Sabine”) operates the Sabine Mine in Texas. All production from Sabine is delivered to Southwestern Electric Power Company's (“SWEPCO”) Henry W. Pirkey Plant (the “Pirkey Plant”). SWEPCO is an American Electric Power (“AEP”) company. During 2020, AEP announced its intent to retire the Pirkey Plant in 2023. SWEPCO expects deliveries from Sabine to continue until the first quarter of 2023 at which time Sabine expects to begin final reclamation. Funding for mine reclamation is the responsibility of SWEPCO. During 2020, Caddo Creek Resources Company, LLC (“Caddo Creek”) ceased all mining and delivery of lignite and commenced mine reclamation. Funding for mine reclamation is the responsibility of a subsidiary of Advanced Emissions Solutions (“AES”). Caddo Creek entered into a contract with a subsidiary of AES to perform the required mine reclamation. The reclamation at Caddo Creek is expected to be substantially complete during the first half of 2022. During 2020, the contract mining agreement between Camino Real Fuels, LLC (“Camino Real”) and its customer, Dos Republicas Coal Partnership (“DRCP”), terminated and resulted in mine closure. Funding for mine reclamation is the responsibility of DRCP. NAMining Segment In the third quarter of 2021, NAMining entered into contracts with a new customer to perform all mining operations at two sand and gravel quarries located in Texas and Arkansas. The initial term of each contract is two years, and one of the contracts automatically extends an additional two years provided NAMining is not in default under that contract. In the second quarter of 2021, NAMining entered into a one-year mining services contract with an existing customer for a sand and gravel quarry in Indiana. In the first quarter of 2021, NAMining entered into a 15-year mining services contract with a new customer at a limestone quarry in Central Florida. NAMining will operate two smaller draglines at this quarry while it relocates and commissions a larger dragline that will increase production capacity. The relocated dragline is anticipated to be commissioned in the second half of 2022. During 2021, NAMining also amended a contract with a current customer to provide additional services at a limestone quarry in Florida. In addition, NAMining will serve as exclusive contract miner for the Thacker Pass lithium project in northern Nevada. Thacker Pass is owned by Lithium Nevada Corp., a subsidiary of Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC). Lithium Americas Corp. owns the lithium reserves at Thacker Pass and will be responsible for the processing and sale of the lithium 3 Table of Contents produced. At maturity, the Thacker Pass management fee contract is expected to deliver fee income similar to a mid-sized management fee coal mine. Minerals Management Segment During 2021 and 2020, the Minerals Management segment acquired additional mineral interests, primarily in the Eagle Ford and Permian Basins in Texas. During the second quarter of 2021, the Minerals Management segment, through its Catapult business, acquired a combination of mineral and overriding royalty interests in the Eagle Ford Basin, which includes approximately 14.1 thousand gross acres and 1.7 thousand net royalty acres, for an initial payment of $4.7 million. Under the terms of the transaction, Catapult could make additional payments for each additional well developed on the acquired assets during 2022 of up to a maximum of $0.6 million. Catapult also completed a small acquisition of royalty interests in the Delaware Basin during 2021 for a purchase price of $0.3 million. Minerals Management intends to continue to make future acquisitions of mineral and royalty interests that meet the Company’s acquisition criteria as part of its growth strategy. Operations Coal Mining Segment The Coal Mining segment, NACoal, operates surface coal mines under long-term contracts with power generation companies and an activated carbon producer pursuant to a service-based business model. Coal is surface mined in North Dakota, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Through September 30, 2021, the Company provided contract mining services on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. Each mine is fully integrated with its customer's operations. During 2021, the Company's operating coal mines were: Bisti, Coteau, Coyote Creek Mining Company, LLC (“Coyote Creek”), Demery Resources Company, LLC (“Demery”), Falkirk, Mississippi Lignite Mining Company (“MLMC”) and Sabine. Coteau, Coyote, Falkirk, MLMC and Sabine supply lignite coal for power generation. Demery supplies lignite coal for the production of activated carbon products. Each mine is the exclusive supplier of coal to its customers' facilities. Each of these mines delivers its coal production to adjacent or nearby power plants, synfuels plants or an activated carbon processing facility under long-term supply contracts. MLMC’s lignite sales agreement contains a minimum annual take provision; all other coal supply contracts are requirements contracts under which earnings can fluctuate based on customer requirements. Certain coal supply contracts can be terminated early, which would result in a reduction to future earnings. At all operating coal mines other than MLMC, the Company is paid a management fee per ton of coal or heating unit (MMBtu) delivered. Each contract specifies the indices and mechanics by which fees change over time, generally in line with broad measures of U.S. inflation. The customers are responsible for funding all mine operating costs, including final mine reclamation, and directly or indirectly provide all of the capital required to build and operate the mine. This contract structure eliminates the Company's exposure to spot coal market price fluctuations while providing income and cash flow with minimal capital investment. Other than at Coyote Creek, debt financing provided by or supported by the customers is without recourse to NACCO and NACoal. See Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K for further discussion of Coyote Creek's guarantees. All operating coal mines other than MLMC meet the definition of a variable interest entity (“VIE”). In each case, NACCO is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE as it does not exercise financial control; therefore, NACCO does not consolidate the results of these operations within its financial statements. Instead, these contracts are accounted for as equity method investments. The income before income taxes associated with these VIEs is reported as Earnings of unconsolidated operations on the Consolidated Statements of Operations, and the Company’s investment is reported on the line Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The mines that meet the definition of a VIE are referred to collectively as the “Unconsolidated Subsidiaries.” For tax purposes, the Unconsolidated Subsidiaries are included within the NACCO consolidated U.S. tax return; therefore, the income tax expense line on the Consolidated Statements of Operations includes income taxes related to these entities. See Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K for further information on the Unconsolidated Subsidiaries. The Company performs contemporaneous reclamation activities at each mine in the normal course of operations. Under all of the Unconsolidated Subsidiaries’ contracts, the customer has the obligation to fund final mine reclamation activities. Under certain contracts, the Unconsolidated Subsidiary holds the mine permit and is therefore responsible for final mine reclamation activities. To the extent the Unconsolidated Subsidiary performs such final reclamation, it is compensated for providing those services in addition to receiving reimbursement from customers for costs incurred. 4 Table of Contents Caddo Creek met the definition of a VIE prior to the cessation of mining on September 30, 2020. The terms of the contract to perform mine reclamation contain a fixed-price component and therefore, Caddo Creek has been consolidated within the Company's financial statements since October 1, 2020. The MLMC contract is the only operating coal contract in which the Company is responsible for all operating costs, capital requirements and final mine reclamation; therefore, MLMC is consolidated within NACCO’s financial statements. MLMC sells coal to its customer at a contractually agreed-upon price which adjusts monthly, primarily based on changes in the level of established indices which reflect general U.S. inflation rates. Profitability at MLMC is affected by customer demand for coal and changes in the indices that determine sales price and actual costs incurred. As diesel fuel is heavily weighted among the indices used to determine the coal sales price, fluctuations in diesel fuel prices can result in significant fluctuations in earnings at MLMC. MLMC delivers coal to the Red Hills Power Plant in Ackerman, Mississippi. The Red Hills Power Plant supplies electricity to the Tennessee Valley Authority ("TVA") under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement ("PPA"). MLMC’s contract with its customer runs through 2032. TVA’s power portfolio includes coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, natural gas and renewables. The decision of which power plants to dispatch is determined by TVA. Reduction in dispatch of the Red Hills Power Plant will result in reduced coal deliveries and earnings at MLMC. See “Item 2. Properties" on page 31 in this Form 10-K for discussion of the Company's mineral resources and mineral reserves. NAMining Segment The NAMining segment provides value-added contract mining and other services for producers of aggregates, lithium and other minerals. The segment is a primary platform for the Company’s growth and diversification of mining activities outside of the coal industry. NAMining provides contract mining services for independently owned mines and quarries, creating value for its customers by performing the mining aspects of its customers’ operations. This allows customers to focus on their areas of expertise: materials handling and processing, product sales and distribution. NAMining historically operated primarily at limestone quarries in Florida, but is focused on expanding outside of Florida, mining materials other than limestone and expanding the scope of mining operations provided to its customers. As of December 31, 2021, NAMining operates mines in Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Indiana and will serve as exclusive contract miner for the Thacker Pass lithium project in northern Nevada. NAMining utilizes both fixed price and management fee contract structures. Certain of the entities within the NAMining segment are VIEs and are accounted for under the equity method as Unconsolidated Subsidiaries. See Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K for further information on the Unconsolidated Subsidiaries. Minerals Management Segment The Minerals Management segment derives income primarily by leasing its royalty and mineral interests to third-party exploration and production companies, and, to a lesser extent, other mining companies, granting them the rights to explore, develop, mine, produce, market and sell gas, oil, and coal in exchange for royalty payments based on the lessees' sales of those minerals. The acquisition criteria for building a blended portfolio of mineral and royalty interests includes (i) new wells anticipated to come online within one to two years of investment, (ii) areas with forecasted future development within five years after acquisition, or (iii) existing producing wells further along the decline curve that will generate stable cash flow. In addition, acquisitions should extend the geographic footprint to diversify across multiple basins with a preliminary focus on the more oil-rich Permian basin and a secondary focus on other diversifying basins to increase regional exposure. While the current focus is on the acquisition of mineral and royalty interests, the Company would also consider investments in overriding royalty interests, non-participating royalty interests or non-operated working interests under certain circumstances. The current acquisition strategy does not contemplate any near-term working interest investments in which the Company would act as the operator. Total consideration for the 2021 and 2020 acquisitions of mineral and royalty interests was $5.3 million and $14.2 million, respectively. The 2021 acquisitions include 20.6 thousand gross acres and 1.8 thousand net royalty acres. The 2020 acquisitions include 65.5 thousand gross acres and 1.2 thousand net royalty acres. Total mineral and royalty interests include approximately 127.8 thousand gross acres and 59.9 thousand net royalty acres at December 31, 2021. The Company’s legacy royalty and mineral interests are located in Ohio (Utica and Marcellus shale natural gas), Louisiana (Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley formation natural gas), Texas (Cotton Valley and Austin Chalk formation natural gas), 5 Table of Contents Mississippi (coal), Pennsylvania (coal, coalbed methane and Marcellus shale natural gas), Alabama (coal, coalbed methane and natural gas) and North Dakota (coal, oil and natural gas). The majority of the Company’s legacy reserves were acquired as part of its historical coal mining operations. The Minerals Management segment owns royalty interests, mineral interests, nonparticipating royalty interests, and overriding royalty interests. • Royalty Interest. Royalty interests generally result when the owner of a mineral interest leases the underlying minerals to an exploration and production company pursuant to an oil and gas lease. Typically, the resulting royalty interest is a cost-free percentage of production revenues for minerals extracted from the acreage. A holder of royalty interests is generally not responsible for capital expenditures or lease operating expenses, but may be responsible for certain post-production expenses, and typically have no environmental liability. Royalty interests expire upon the expiration of the oil and gas lease. • Mineral Interest. Mineral interests are perpetual rights of the owner to explore, develop, exploit, mine, and/or produce any or all of the minerals lying below the surface of the property. The holder of a mineral interest has the right to lease the minerals to an exploration and production company. Upon the execution of an oil and gas lease, the lessee (the exploration and production company) becomes the working interest owner and the lessor (the mineral interest owner) has a royalty interest. • Non-Participating Royalty Interest (“NPRIs”). NPRI is an interest in oil and gas production which is created from the mineral estate. The NPRI is expense-free, bearing no operational costs of production. The term “non-participating” indicates that the interest owner does not share in the bonus, rentals from a lease, nor the right to participate in the execution of oil and gas leases. • Overriding Royalty Interest (“ORRIs”). ORRIs are created by carving out the right to receive royalties from a working interest. Like royalty interests, ORRIs do not confer an obligation to make capital expenditures or pay for lease operating expenses and have limited environmental liability, however ORRIs may be calculated net of post-production expenses, depending on how the ORRI is structured. ORRIs that are carved out of working interests are linked to the same underlying oil and gas lease that created the working interest, and therefore, such ORRIs are typically subject to expiration upon the expiration or termination of the oil and gas lease. The Company may own more than one type of mineral and royalty interest in the same tract of land. For example, where the Company owns an ORRI in a lease on the same tract of land in which it owns a mineral interest, the ORRI in that tract will relate to the same gross acres as the mineral interest in that tract. The Minerals Management segment will benefit from the continued development of its mineral properties without the need for investment of additional capital once mineral and royalty interests have been acquired. The Minerals Management segment does not have any investments under which it would be required to bear the cost of exploration, production or development. See “Item 2. Properties" on page 31 in this Form 10-K for discussion of the Company's proved reserves. Customers The principal customers of the Coal Mining segment are electric utilities, an independent power provider and a producer of activated carbon. The principal customers of the NAMining segment are limestone producers and to a lesser extent, sand and gravel producers. In addition, NAMining will serve as exclusive contract miner for the Thacker Pass lithium project in northern Nevada. The Minerals Management segment generates income primarily from royalty-based lease payments from oil, gas and to a lesser extent, coal producers. The pricing of oil, gas and coal sales is primarily determined by supply and demand in the marketplace and can fluctuate considerably. As a royalty owner and non-operator, the Company has limited access to timely information, involvement, and operational control over the volumes of oil, gas and coal produced and sold and the terms and conditions on which such volumes are marketed and sold. 6 Table of Contents In 2021 and 2020, two customers individually accounted for more than 10% of consolidated revenues. The following represents the revenue attributable to each of these entities as a percentage of consolidated revenues for those years: Percentage of Consolidated Revenues Segment 2021 2020 Coal Mining customer 43 % 55 % NAMining customer 19 % 19 % The loss of either of these customers could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations attributable to the applicable segment and on the Company's consolidated results of operations. In addition to the customers listed above, the Company has certain subsidiaries that meet the definition of a VIE; therefore, NACCO does not consolidate the results of these operations within its financial statements. Instead, these contracts are accounted for as equity method investments. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Coal Mining segment derived approximately 68% of the Earnings of Unconsolidated Operations from two customers, Basin Electric and GRE. The loss of either of these contracts could have a material adverse effect on the Earnings of Unconsolidated Operations of the Coal Mining segment and a material adverse effect on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations. Competition The Company's coal mines are directly adjacent to the customer’s property, with economical delivery methods that include conveyor belt delivery systems linked to the customer’s facilities or short-haul rail systems. All of the mines in the Coal Mining segment are the most economical suppliers to each of their respective customers as a result of transportation advantages over competitors. In addition, the customers' facilities were specifically designed to use the coal being mined. The coal industry competes with other sources of energy, particularly oil, gas, hydro-electric power and nuclear power. In addition, it competes with subsidized sources of energy, primarily wind and solar. Among the factors that affect competition are the price and availability of oil and natural gas, environmental and related political considerations, the time and expenditures required to develop new energy sources, the cost of transportation, the cost of compliance with governmental regulations, the impact of federal and state energy policies, the impact of subsidies on renewable pricing and the Company's customers' dispatch decisions, which may also take into account carbon dioxide emissions. The ability of the Coal Mining segment to maintain comparable levels of coal production at existing facilities and to market and develop its reserves will depend upon the interaction of these factors. Electricity generating units are chosen to run primarily based on operating costs, of which fuel costs account for the largest share. Natural gas-fired power plants have the most potential to continue to displace coal-fired electric baseload power generation in the near term. There also continues to be an increase in the amount of electricity generated by wind and solar. Fluctuations in natural gas prices and the availability of renewable generation, particularly wind, can contribute to changes in power plant dispatch and customer demand for coal. The significant increase in natural gas prices in 2021 compared to natural gas prices in 2020 contributed to an increase in customer power plant dispatch and coal deliveries in 2021. Sustained higher natural gas prices could lead to increased demand for coal and positively affect Coal Mining segment results. Over the longer term, the Company continues to believe that customer demand will remain pressured by continuing increases in subsidized renewable generation sources, particularly wind. Federal and state mandates for increased use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources have also negatively affected demand for coal. Such mandates, combined with other incentives to use renewable energy sources, such as tax credits, make alternative fuel sources competitive with coal. The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 extended the production tax credit (“PTC”) under Section 45 of the Internal Revenue Code and the investment tax credit (“ITC”) under Section 48 of the Code. The PTC for wind was extended at the current phase-out level (60% of the otherwise allowable credits) for facilities where construction began in 2021. The ITC for solar was extended at 26% for energy property where construction begins in 2021-2022 and at 22% where construction begins in 2023-2025. Solar energy property placed in service after December 31, 2025 will receive a 10% ITC. Environmental, social and governance considerations can also have an impact on power plant dispatch and demand for coal. Based on industry information, the Company believes it was one of the ten largest coal producers in the U.S. in 2021 based on total coal tons produced. NAMining faces competition from producers of aggregates, lithium or other minerals that choose to self-perform mining operations and from other mining companies. 7 Table of Contents In the Minerals Management segment, the oil and gas industry is intensely competitive; the Company primarily competes with companies and investors for the acquisition of oil and gas properties, some of which have greater resources and may be able to pay more for productive oil and natural gas properties or to define, evaluate, bid for and purchase a greater number of properties than the Company’s financial resources permit. Additionally, many of the Minerals Management segment's competitors are, or are affiliated with, operators that engage in the exploration and production of their oil and gas properties, which allows them to acquire larger assets that include operated properties. Larger or more integrated competitors may be able to absorb the burden of existing, and any changes to, federal, state and local laws and regulations more easily than the Company can, which would adversely affect its competitive position. The integrated competitors may also have a better understanding of when minerals they acquire will be developed, as they are often the developer. The Minerals Management segment’s ability to acquire additional properties in the future will be dependent upon its ability to evaluate and select suitable properties and to consummate transactions in a highly competitive environment. In addition, because the Company has fewer financial resources than many companies in the oil and gas industry, the Company may be at a disadvantage in bidding for oil and natural gas properties. Seasonality The Company has experienced limited variability in its results due to the effect of seasonality; however, variations in coal demand can occur as a result of the timing and duration of planned or unplanned outages at customers' facilities. Variations in coal demand can also occur as a result of changes in market prices of competing fuels such as natural gas, wind and solar power and demand for electricity, which can fluctuate based on changes in weather patterns. The NAMining segment extracts a significant amount of the annual limestone produced in Florida. The Florida construction industry can be affected by the cyclicality of the economy, seasonal weather conditions and pandemics, all of which can result in variations in demand for aggregates. In the Minerals Management segment, oil and natural gas wells have high initial production rates and follow a natural decline before settling into relatively stable, long-term production. Decline rates can vary due to factors like well depth, well length, geology, formation pressure, and facility design. In addition to the natural production decline curve, royalty income can fluctuate favorably or unfavorably in response to a number of factors outside of the Company's control, including the number of wells being operated by third parties, fluctuations in commodity prices (primarily oil and natural gas), fluctuations in production rates associated with operator decisions, regulatory risks, the Company's lessees' willingness and ability to incur well-development and other operating costs, and changes in the availability and continuing development of infrastructure. Human Capital As of December 31, 2021, the Company and its subsidiaries had approximately 1,600 employees, including approximately 1,100 employees at the Company’s unconsolidated mining operations, none of which are represented by a collective bargaining agreement. NACCO believes it has good relations with its employees. Market-Based Compensation: NACCO believes its employees are critical to its success and invests in its employees by offering a market-based competitive total rewards package that includes a combination of salaries and wages and a benefits package that promotes employee well-being across all aspects of their lives. The Company provides employee wages that are competitive and consistent with employee positions, skill levels, experience, knowledge and geographic location. Benefits offered to employees include: • Medical, dental and vision benefits for employee, spouse and dependents; • Flexible spending accounts for both healthcare and dependent care; • Health savings accounts and health reimbursement accounts, both of which receive a company contribution; • Paid vacation and holidays; • Parental leave; • Short-term and long-term disability benefits; • Wellness incentives for employees; • Life and AD&D insurance benefits; • Charitable donation matches; and • Employee assistance program. Employee Development: The Company recognizes that its culture and success is strengthened when employees are respected, motivated and engaged. The Company works to match employees with assignments that capitalize on the skills, talents and potential of each employee. The Company believes in hiring, engaging, developing and promoting people who are fully able to meet the demands of each position, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status or disability. 8 Table of Contents Safety: Employee safety in the workplace is one of the Company’s core values. The Company is committed to strict compliance with applicable laws and regulations regarding workplace safety and provides on-going safety training, education and communication. Hazards in the workplace are actively identified and management tracks incidents so remedial actions can be taken to improve workplace safety. The Company believes communication related to “near misses,” safety incidents and protocols is essential to continuously developing and maintaining best-practices related to safety and enables identification and correction of operational practices that might impair employee safety or health. Company Ethics: The Company has processes in place for compliance with its Code of Corporate Conduct, Insider Trading Policy and Anti-Corruption Policy. All of the Company's Directors and employees annually complete certifications with respect to compliance with the Company's Code of Corporate Conduct. In addition, all employees of the Company are required to complete annual Code of Corporate Conduct training. Ethics are deeply embedded in the Company’s values and business processes. The Company also maintains an ethics related hotline, managed by a third party, through which individuals can anonymously raise concerns or ask questions about business behavior. Community Engagement: The Company supports its local communities and is committed to helping them remain safe, healthy and resilient. The Company's past activities include corporate donations, volunteerism and education. Community engagement is encouraged and supported through the Company's matching gift program. The Company will match employee contributions up to $5,000 per employee if program criteria are met. Available Information The Company makes its annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports available, free of charge, through its website, www.nacco.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The content of the Company's website is not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K or in any other report or document filed with the SEC, and any reference to the Company's website is intended to be an inactive textual reference only. Under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, the Company qualifies as a “smaller reporting company” because its public float as of the last business day of the Company’s most recently completed second quarter was less than $250 million. For as long as the Company remains a “smaller reporting company,” it may take advantage of certain exemptions from the SEC’s reporting requirements that are otherwise applicable to public companies that are not smaller reporting companies. Government Regulation The Company's operations are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations on matters such as employee health and safety, and certain environmental laws and regulations relating to, among other matters, the reclamation and restoration of coal mining properties, air pollution, water pollution, the disposal of wastes and effects on groundwater. In addition, the electric power generation industry is subject to extensive regulation regarding the environmental impact of its power generation activities that could affect demand for coal from the Company's Coal Mining segment. Many aspects of the production, pricing and marketing of oil and natural gas are regulated by federal and state agencies. Legislation affecting the oil and natural gas industry is under constant review for amendment or expansion, which frequently increases the regulatory burden on affected members of the industry and could affect the results of the Company’s Minerals Management segment. Numerous governmental permits and approvals are required for coal mining operations. The Company's subsidiaries hold or will hold the necessary permits at all of its coal mining operations except Demery and Caddo Creek, where the customers hold the respective permits. The Company believes, based upon present information provided to it by these third-party mine permit holders, that these third parties have all permits necessary for the Company to operate or reclaim Caddo Creek and Demery; however, the Company cannot be certain that these third parties will be able to maintain all such permits in the future. At the coal mining operations where the Company's subsidiaries hold the permits, the Company is required to prepare and present to federal, state or local governmental authorities data pertaining to the effect or impact that any proposed exploration for or production of coal may have upon the environment and public and employee health and safety. Some laws, as discussed below, place many requirements on the coal mining operations and the limestone quarries where the Company provides services. Federal and state regulations require regular monitoring of the Company's operations to ensure compliance. 9 Table of Contents Mine Health and Safety Laws The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 imposes safety and health standards on all mining operations. Regulations are comprehensive and affect numerous aspects of mining operations, including training of mine personnel, mining procedures, blasting, the equipment used in mining operations and other matters. The Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration enforces compliance with these federal laws and regulations. Environmental Laws The Company's coal mining operations are subject to various federal environmental laws, as amended, including: • the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (“SMCRA”); • the Clean Air Act, including amendments to that act in 1990 (“CAA”); • the Clean Water Act of 1972 (“CWA”); • the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA"); • the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 (“NEPA”); and • the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA"). In addition to these federal environmental laws, various states have enacted environmental laws that provide for higher levels of environmental compliance than similar federal laws. These state environmental laws require reporting, permitting and/or approval of many aspects of coal mining operations. Both federal and state inspectors regularly visit mines to enforce compliance. The Company has ongoing training, compliance and permitting programs to ensure compliance with such environmental laws. Changes in environmental laws and regulations occur frequently, and any changes that result in more stringent and costly pollution control or waste handling, storage, transport, disposal or cleanup requirements could materially adversely affect the Coal Mining segment. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act SMCRA establishes mining, environmental protection and reclamation standards for all aspects of surface coal mining operations. Where state regulatory agencies have adopted federal mining programs under SMCRA, the state becomes the primary regulatory authority. Coal mine operators must obtain SMCRA permits and permit renewals for coal mining operations from the applicable regulatory agency. These SMCRA permit provisions include requirements for coal prospecting, mine plan development, topsoil removal, storage and replacement, selective handling of overburden materials, mine pit backfilling and grading, protection of the hydrologic balance, surface drainage control, mine drainage and mine discharge control and treatment, and revegetation. Although mining permits have stated expiration dates, SMCRA provides for a right of successive renewal. The cost of obtaining surface mining permits can vary widely depending on the quantity and type of information that must be provided to obtain the permits; however, the cost of obtaining a permit is usually between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000, and the cost of obtaining a permit renewal is usually between $15,000 and $100,000. The Abandoned Mine Land Fund, which is provided for by SMCRA, imposes a fee on certain coal mining operations. The proceeds are intended to be used principally to reclaim mine lands closed prior to 1977. In addition, the Abandoned Mine Land Fund also makes transfers annually to the United Mine Workers of America Combined Benefit Fund (the “Fund”), which provides health care benefits to retired coal miners who are beneficiaries of the Fund. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reauthorized the Abandoned Mine Land fee at a reduced rate. The fee for lignite coal was reduced from $0.08 per ton to $0.064 per ton and for other surface-mined coal from $0.28 per ton to $0.224 per ton. These fees have been reauthorized until the end of fiscal year 2035. SMCRA establishes operational, reclamation and closure standards for surface coal mines. The Company accrues for the costs of current mine disturbance and final mine closure, including the cost of treating mine water discharges, at mines where the Company's subsidiaries hold the mining permit. These obligations are largely unfunded, with the exception of the final mine closure costs for the Coyote Creek Mine, which are being funded throughout the production stage. SMCRA stipulates compliance with many other major environmental programs, including the CAA and CWA. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulates activities affecting navigable waters, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regulates the use of explosives for blasting. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the OSMRE have engaged in a series of rulemakings and other administrative actions under the CWA and other statutes that are directed at reducing the impact of coal mining operations on water bodies. The Company does not believe there is any significant risk to the Company's subsidiaries ability to maintain its existing mining permits or its ability to acquire future mining permits for its mines. 10 Table of Contents Clean Air Act and Affordable Clean Energy Rule ("ACE") The process of burning coal can cause many compounds and impurities in the coal to be released into the air, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, particulates and other matter. The CAA and the corresponding state laws that extensively regulate the emissions of materials into the air affect coal mining operations both directly and indirectly. Direct impacts on coal mining operations occur through CAA permitting requirements and/or emission control requirements relating to air contaminants, especially particulate matter. Indirect impacts on coal mining operations occur through regulation of the air emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, particulate matter and other compounds emitted by coal-fired power plants. The EPA has promulgated or proposed regulations that impose tighter emission restrictions in a number of areas, some of which are currently subject to litigation. The general effect of tighter restrictions is to reduce demand for coal. Ongoing reduction in coal’s share of the capacity for power generation could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. States are required to submit to the EPA revisions to their state implementation plans ("SIPs") that demonstrate the manner in which the states will attain national ambient air quality standards ("NAAQS") every time a NAAQS is issued or revised by the EPA. The EPA has adopted NAAQS for several pollutants, which continue to be reviewed periodically for revisions. When the EPA adopts new, more stringent NAAQS for a pollutant, some states have to change their existing SIPs. If a state fails to revise its SIP and obtain EPA approval, the EPA may adopt regulations to effect the revision. Coal mining operations and coal-fired power plants that emit particulate matter or other specified material are, therefore, affected by changes in the SIPs. Through this process over the last few years, the EPA has reduced the NAAQS for particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen oxides. The Company's coal mining operations and power generation customers may be directly affected when the revisions to the SIPs are made and incorporate new NAAQS for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter. In March 2019, the EPA published a final rule that retains the current primary (health-based) NAAQS for sulfur oxides (SOx) without revision. The current primary standard is set at a level of 75 parts per billion, as the 99th percentile of daily maximum 1-hour SO2 concentrations, averaged over 3 years. In mid-2011, the EPA finalized the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule ("CSAPR") to address interstate transport of pollutants. This affects states in the eastern half of the U.S. and Texas. This rule imposes additional emission restrictions on coal-fired power plants to attain ozone and fine particulate NAAQS. The EPA began implementation of the rule in 2015, when Phase I emission reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide became effective. Phase II reductions became effective in 2017. In 2016, the EPA mandated additional reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ("D.C. Circuit") remanded the CSAPR Update to the EPA to address the court’s holding that the rule unlawfully allows significant contribution to continue beyond downwind attainment deadlines. In 2018, the EPA finalized all remaining ozone designations to comply with the 2015 ozone air quality standards. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a per curium opinion rejecting various industry challenges to the EPA’s 2015 revisions to the ozone NAAQS, including that the EPA was required to consider certain adverse effects and background ozone when setting the standards. None of the power plants supplied by the Company are within non-attainment areas for ozone. In March 2021, EPA finalized the “Revised Cross-State Air Pollution Rule” to address the remand of the CSAPR update. The final rule requires no further obligations in states where the Company’s customers operate a power plant. The CAA Acid Rain Control Provisions were promulgated as part of the CAA Amendments of 1990 in Title IV of the CAA (“Acid Rain Program”). The Acid Rain Program required reductions of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. The Acid Rain Program is now a mature program, and the Company believes that any market impacts of the required controls have likely been factored into the coal market. The EPA promulgated a regional haze program designed to protect and to improve visibility at and around Class I Areas, which are generally National Parks, National Wilderness Areas and International Parks. This program may restrict the construction of new coal-fired power plants, the operation of which may impair visibility at and around the Class I Areas. Additionally, the program requires certain existing coal-fired power plants to install additional control measures designed to limit haze-causing emissions, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. States were required to submit Regional Haze SIPs to the EPA in 2007; however, many states did not meet that deadline. In 2016, the EPA finalized revisions to the Regional Haze Rule which addresses requirements for the second planning period. In September 2019, the EPA issued final regional haze guidance that indicates that a re-evaluation of sources already subject to best available retrofit technologies ("BART") is likely unnecessary. The guidance also encourages states to balance visibility benefits against other factors in selecting the measures necessary to make “reasonable progress” toward natural visibility conditions. Finally, when comparing various control options to determine which ones may be “cost-effective,” the final guidance recommends comparing cost to visibility benefits. In July of 2021, the EPA released a memorandum to clarify the guidance issued in 2019. While this clarification memorandum attempted to reverse some of the core conclusions made in the 2019 guidance, it was released after the air analyses to develop individual SIPs had been completed and just prior to the SIP submittal deadline to the EPA, which was July 31, 2021. Many SIP submittals were delayed due to emissions modeling and continue to be developed and scrutinized. SIPs will be sent to the EPA for approval following both review by federal land managers of the National Park Service, the United States Fish and 11 Table of Contents Wildlife Service and the United States Forest Service and all corresponding public comment periods. See "Item 1A - “Risk Factors” on page 20 for further discussion of the regional haze program. Under the CAA, new and modified sources of air pollution must meet certain new source standards (the “New Source Review Program”). In the late 1990s, the EPA filed lawsuits against owners of many coal-fired power plants in the eastern U.S. alleging that the owners performed non-routine maintenance, causing increased emissions that should have triggered the application of these new source standards. Some of these lawsuits have been settled with the owners agreeing to install additional emission control devices in their coal-fired power plants. The EPA has clarified the process for evaluating whether the New Source Review (“NSR”) permitting program would apply to proposed projects at existing air pollution sources. Under the NSR program, before constructing a new stationary emission source or a modification of an existing major source, the source owner or operator must determine whether the new source will emit or the modification will increase air emissions above certain thresholds. The rule makes it clear that both emissions increases and decreases from a major modification at an existing source are to be considered during Step 1 of the two-step NSR applicability test which is designed to determine if there is a “significant emission increase”. In October 2021, the EPA denied a petition for reconsideration and administrative stay of the final rule; however, the remaining litigation and the uncertainty around the NSR program rules could adversely impact demand for coal. Any additional new controls may have an adverse impact on the demand for coal, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations. Under the CAA, the EPA also adopts national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants. In December 2011, the EPA adopted a final rule called the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (“MATS”), which applies to new and existing coal-fired and oil-fired units. This rule requires mercury emission reductions in fine particulates, which are being regulated as a surrogate for certain metals. The Company's power generation customers must incur substantial costs to control emissions to meet all of the CAA requirements, including the requirements under MATS and the EPA's regional haze program. These costs raise the price of coal-generated electricity, making coal-fired power less competitive with other sources of electricity, thereby reducing demand for coal. If the Company's customers cannot offset the cost to control certain regulated pollutant emissions by lowering costs or if the Company's customers elect to close coal-fired units, the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. Global climate change continues to attract considerable attention in the United States. The U.S. Congress has considered climate change legislation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, particularly from coal combustion by power plants. Enactment of laws and passage of regulations regarding GHG emissions by the U.S. or additional states, or other actions to limit carbon dioxide emissions, such as opposition by environmental groups to expansion or modification of coal-fired power plants, could result in electric generators switching from coal to other fuel sources. The U.S. Congress continues to consider a variety of proposals to reduce GHG emissions from the combustion of coal and other fuels. These proposals include emission taxes, emission reductions, including carbon tax and “cap-and-trade” programs, and mandates or incentives to generate electricity by using renewable resources, such as wind or solar power. Some states have established programs to reduce GHG emissions. Further, governmental agencies have been providing grants or other financial incentives to entities developing or selling alternative energy sources with lower levels of GHG emissions, which may lead to more competition from those entities. T he EPA introduced a GHG regulation program under the CAA by issuing a finding that the emission of six GHGs, including carbon dioxide and methane, may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare. Based on that finding, the EPA published a New Source Performance Standard for greenhouse gases, applicable to certain new power plants. In 2019, the EPA issued the Affordable Clean Energy ("ACE") Rule to reduce GHG emissions from existing electric generating units ("EGUs"). In contrast to the Clean Power Plan, the ACE rule limited "best system of emission reduction" ("BSER") to only "inside the fenceline" heat rate improvement technologies or systems that can be applied at an affected coal-fired EGU. The ACE rule was challenged by a suite of petitioners before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit ("DC Circuit") which subsequently ruled that the EPA erred when it rescinded the Clean Power Plan and they vacated the ACE rule . In early 2021, the EPA issued an endangerment/significant contribution finding for carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. In addition, the DC Circuit court ruling was challenged by several parties, including the Company, and the Supreme Court of the United States recently granted certiorari. The Supreme Court of the United States will hear the case in February 2022. Depending on the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling, the EPA may draft a new rule to regulate carbon dioxide emissions which, depending on the scope and applicability of the rule, may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations. 12 Table of Contents The U.S. has not implemented the 1992 Framework Convention on Global Climate Change (“Kyoto Protocol”), which became effective for many countries on February 16, 2005. The Kyoto Protocol was intended to limit or reduce emissions of GHGs. The U.S. has not ratified the emission targets of the Kyoto Protocol or any other GHG agreement. Though the U.S. has not accepted these international GHG limiting treaties, numerous lawsuits and regulatory actions have been undertaken by states and environmental groups to try to force controls on the emission of carbon dioxide; or to prevent the construction of new coal-fired power plants. As a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, in 2015, international negotiators finalized the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (“Paris Agreement”). Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement has no binding GHG reduction mandates on signatories. Participating countries only submit a description of their intended GHG reductions, and provide periodic progress updates, with no penalties for not meeting their self-imposed targets. The Paris Agreement also includes language stating that developed countries will provide financial assistance to help developing countries meet their GHG targets and adapt to climate change, but there are no mandated contributions. In November 2020, the United States formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement; however, the United States rejoined in February 2021. The renegotiation and implementation of the Paris Agreement, or other international agreements, the regulations promulgated to date by the EPA with respect to GHG emissions or the adoption of new legislation or regulations to control GHG emissions, could have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Signific ant public opposition has also been raised with respect to the proposed construction of certain new coal-fired EGUs due to the potential for increased air emissions. Such opposition, as well as any corporate or investor policies against coal-fired EGUs or requiring disclosures related to global climate change, could also reduce the demand for the Company's coal or marketability of NACCO stock. Further, policies limiting available financing for the development of new coal-fueled EGUs or coal mines or the retrofitting of existing EGUs could adversely impact the global demand for coal in the future. The potential impact on the Company of future laws, regulations or other policies or circumstances will depend upon the degree to which any such laws, regulations or other policies or circumstances force electricity generators to diminish their reliance on coal as a fuel source. In view of the significant uncertainty surrounding each of these factors, it is not possible for the Company to predict reasonably the impact that any such laws, regulations or other policies may have on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. However, such impacts could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. The Company believes it has obtained all necessary permits under the CAA at all of its coal mining operations where it is responsible for permitting and is in compliance with such permits. Clean Water Act The Clean Water Act ("CWA") affects coal mining operations by establishing in-stream water quality standards and treatment standards for waste water discharge. Permits requiring regular monitoring, reporting and performance standards govern the discharge of pollutants into water. Waters discharged from coal mines are required to meet these standards. These federal and state requirements could require more costly water treatment and could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. The Company believes it has obtained all permits required under the CWA and corresponding state laws and is in compliance with such permits. In many instances, mining operations require securing CWA authorization or a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for operations in waters of the United States. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA jointly revised the definition of a water of the United States ("WOTUS") in the June 2020 Navigable Water Protection Rule ("NWPR"). The new definition was challenged in court and two court cases resulted in vacatur of the NWPR. In December 2021, the EPA and COE released a draft “Step One” rule to redefine WOTUS by formally rescinding the NWPR and replacing it with a new definition. If the new definition is promulgated as drafted, some of the Company's operations could incur additional costs to mitigate streams and wetlands. Bellaire is treating mine water drainage from coal refuse piles associated with two former underground coal mines in Ohio and one former underground coal mine in Pennsylvania, and is treating mine water from a former underground coal mine in Pennsylvania. Bellaire anticipates that it will need to continue these activities indefinitely. See Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K for further discussion of the Company's asset retirement obligations. Bellaire was notified by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ("DEP") during 2004 that in order to obtain renewal of a permit, Bellaire would be required to establish a mine water treatment trust (the "Trust"). See Note 7 and Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K for further information on the Trust. 13 Table of Contents Resource Conservation and Recovery Act The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA") affects coal mining operations by establishing requirements for the treatment, storage and disposal of wastes, including hazardous wastes. Coal mine wastes, such as overburden and coal cleaning wastes, currently are exempted from hazardous waste management. In December 2014, the EPA finalized a rule specifying management standards for coal combustion residuals or coal ash ("CCRs") as a non-hazardous waste. In 2018, the EPA finalized revisions to the 2014 regulations in response to litigation of the 2014 rule. One revision allows a state director (in a state with an approved CCR permit program) or the EPA (where EPA is the permitting authority) to suspend groundwater monitoring requirements if there is evidence that there is no potential for migration of hazardous constituents to the uppermost aquifer during the active life of the unit and post closure care. The second revision allows issuance of technical certifications in lieu of a professional engineer. In addition, the EPA revised the groundwater protection standards and extended the deadline for some facilities that must close CCR units. In 2020, the EPA finalized additional changes to the CCR rule that classified all clay-lined surface impoundments that receive CCR as unlined, which triggered a pond closure date of April 2021 for impoundments that failed the aquifer location restriction. The EPA also established alternative deadlines to cease receipt of waste to include new site-specific alternatives due to lack of capacity with a deadline to initiate closure no later than October 15, 2023 and a new site-specific alternative due to permanent cessation of coal-fired boilers with two deadlines to complete closure: (a) no later than October 17, 2023 for surface impoundments 40 acres or smaller; and (b) October 17, 2028 for surface impoundments larger than 40 acres. This new rule may raise the cost for CCR disposal at coal-fired power plants, making them less competitive, and/or result in early closure which could have an adverse impact on demand for coal. The EPA rule exempts CCRs beneficially used at mine sites and reserves any regulation thereof to the OSMRE. The OSMRE suspended all rulemaking actions on CCRs, but could re-initiate them in the future. The outcome of these rulemakings, and any subsequent actions by EPA and OSMRE, could impact those Company operations that beneficially use CCRs. If the Company were unable to beneficially use CCRs, its revenues for handling CCRs from its customers may decrease and its costs may increase due to the purchase of alternative materials for beneficial uses. National Environmental Policy Act NEPA requires federal agencies to review the environmental impacts of their decisions and issue either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement. There are certain actions associated with surface coal mining that may trigger these types of assessments by federal agencies. When a NEPA action is required, the Company provides the required information to the appropriate federal agency so that they may complete the environmental assessment. Historically, this process has been lengthy and may take several years to complete. In July 2020, the White House Council on Environmental Quality ("CEQ") issued a final rule updating the original NEPA regulations; however, it was immediately challenged by states and non-governmental organizations. In October 2021, the CEQ issued a new draft rule rescinding many of the revisions from 2020 update. If finalized as drafted, the revised NEPA regulations could adversely affect the Company’s ability to secure necessary permits. Regulation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry The oil and natural gas industry is extensively regulated by numerous federal, state and local authorities. Legislation affecting the oil and natural gas industry is under constant review for amendment or expansion, frequently increasing the regulatory burden. Also, numerous departments and agencies, both federal and state, are authorized by statute to issue rules and regulations that are binding on the oil and natural gas industry and its individual members, some of which carry substantial penalties for failure to comply. Although the regulatory burden on the oil and natural gas industry increases the cost of doing business, these burdens generally do not affect the Company any differently or to any greater or lesser extent than they affect other companies in the industry with similar types, quantities and locations of production. The availability, terms and cost of transportation significantly affect sales of oil and natural gas. The interstate transportation of oil and natural gas and the sale for resale of natural gas is subject to federal regulation, including regulation of the terms, conditions and rates for interstate transportation, storage and various other matters, primarily by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”). Federal and state regulations govern the price and terms for access to oil and natural gas pipeline transportation. FERC’s regulations for interstate oil and natural gas transmission in some circumstances may also affect the intrastate transportation of oil and natural gas. Although oil and natural gas prices are currently unregulated, Congress historically has been active in the area of oil and natural gas regulation. The Company cannot predict whether new legislation to regulate oil and natural gas might be proposed, what proposals, if any, might be enacted by Congress or the various state legislatures, and what effect, if any, the proposals might have on the Minerals Management segment. Sales of crude oil, condensate and natural gas liquids ("NGLs") are not currently regulated and are made at market prices. 14 Table of Contents Environmental Matters Oil and natural gas exploration, development and production operations are subject to stringent laws and regulations governing the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to protection of the environment or occupational health and safety. These laws and regulations have the potential to impact production on the Company’s mineral interests, which could materially adversely affect the Minerals Management segment. Numerous federal, state and local governmental agencies, such as the EPA, issue regulations that often require difficult and costly compliance measures that carry substantial administrative, civil and criminal penalties and may result in injunctive obligations for non-compliance. These laws and regulations may require the acquisition of a permit before drilling commences, restrict the types, quantities and concentrations of various substances that can be released into the environment in connection with drilling and production activities, limit or prohibit construction or drilling activities on certain lands lying within wilderness, wetlands, ecologically sensitive and other protected areas, require action to prevent or remediate pollution from current or former operations, such as plugging abandoned wells or closing earthen pits, result in the suspension or revocation of necessary permits, licenses and authorizations, require that additional pollution controls be installed and impose substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from operations. The strict, joint and several liability nature of such laws and regulations could impose liability upon the operators on the Company’s mineral interests, regardless of fault. Moreover, it is not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other third parties to file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the release of hazardous substances, hydrocarbons or other waste products into the environment. Changes in environmental laws and regulations occur frequently, and any changes that result in more stringent and costly pollution control or waste handling, storage, transport, disposal or cleanup requirements could materially adversely affect the Minerals Management segment. Drilling and Production The operations of the Company’s third-party lessees are subject to various types of regulation at the federal, state and local level. These types of regulation include requiring permits for the drilling of wells, drilling bonds and reports concerning operations. The states, and some counties and municipalities, in which the Company has mineral interests also regulate one or more of the following: • the location of wells; • the method of drilling and casing wells; • the timing of construction or drilling activities, including seasonal wildlife closures; • the rates of production or "allowables"; • the surface use and restoration of properties upon which wells are drilled; • the plugging and abandoning of wells; and • notice to, and consultation with, surface owners and other third parties. State laws regulate the size and shape of drilling and spacing units or proration units governing the pooling of oil and natural gas properties. Some states allow forced pooling or integration of tracts to facilitate exploration while other states rely on voluntary pooling of lands and leases. In some instances, forced pooling or unitization may be implemented by third parties and may reduce the Company’s interest in the unitized properties. In addition, state conservation laws establish maximum rates of production from oil and natural gas wells, generally prohibit the venting or flaring of natural gas and impose requirements regarding the ratability of production. These laws and regulations may limit the amount of oil and natural gas that the lessees of the Company’s mineral interests can produce from existing wells or limit the number of wells or the locations at which operators can drill. Moreover, each state generally imposes a production or severance tax with respect to the production and sale of oil, natural gas and NGLs within its jurisdiction. States do not regulate wellhead prices or engage in other similar direct regulation, but the effect of any future regulations could have a material effect on the Minerals Management segment. The effect of such future regulations may be to limit the amounts of oil and natural gas that may be produced from the Company’s mineral interests, negatively affect the economics of production from these wells or to limit the number of locations operators can drill. Federal, state and local regulations provide detailed requirements for the abandonment of wells, closure or decommissioning of production facilities and pipelines and for site restoration in areas where the operators of the acreage underlying the Company's mineral and royalty interests operate. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and many other state and local authorities also have regulations for plugging and abandonment, decommissioning and site restoration. Although the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does not require bonds or other financial assurances, some state agencies and municipalities do have such requirements. Regulation of Hydraulic Fracturing Hydraulic fracturing is an important common practice that is used to stimulate production of hydrocarbons, particularly natural gas, from tight formations, including shales. The process involves the injection of water, sand and chemicals under pressure into formations to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production. The CWA regulates the underground injection of substances through the Underground Injection Control (“UIC”) program. Hydraulic fracturing generally is exempt from regulation under the UIC program, and the hydraulic fracturing process is typically regulated by state oil and gas commissions. 15 Table of Contents However, in recent years efforts have been made to regulate hydraulic fracturing at the federal level. In addition, the Biden administration has signaled the intent to stop hydraulic fracturing on federal land. In addition, several states, including Texas, have adopted, or are considering adopting, regulations that could restrict or prohibit hydraulic fracturing in certain circumstances and/or require the disclosure of the composition of hydraulic fracturing fluids. The Texas Legislature previously adopted legislation requiring oil and gas operators to publicly disclose the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process, effective as of September 1, 2011. The Texas Railroad Commission subsequently adopted rules and regulations implementing this legislation that apply to all wells for which the Railroad Commission issues an initial drilling permit. This law requires that the well operator disclose the list of chemical ingredients subject to the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act for disclosure on an internet website and also file the list of chemicals with the Texas Railroad Commission with the well completion report. The total volume of water used to hydraulically fracture a well must also be disclosed to the public and filed with the Texas Railroad Commission. Further, in May 2013, the Texas Railroad Commission issued a “well integrity rule,” which updates the requirements for drilling, putting pipe down, and cementing wells. The rule also includes new testing and reporting requirements, such as: (i) the requirement to submit cementing reports after well completion or after cessation of drilling, whichever is later; and (ii) the imposition of additional testing on wells less than 1,000 feet below usable groundwater. The well integrity rule took effect in January 2014. Local governments also may seek to adopt ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular or prohibit the performance of well drilling in general or hydraulic fracturing in particular. There has been increasing public controversy regarding hydraulic fracturing with regard to the use of fracturing fluids, impacts on drinking water supplies, use of water and the potential for impacts to surface water, groundwater and the environment generally. A number of lawsuits and enforcement actions have been initiated across the country implicating hydraulic fracturing practices. If new laws or regulations that significantly restrict hydraulic fracturing are adopted, such laws could make it more difficult or costly to perform fracturing to stimulate production from tight formations as well as make it easier for third parties opposing the hydraulic fracturing process to initiate legal proceedings based on allegations that specific chemicals used in the fracturing process could adversely affect groundwater. In addition, if hydraulic fracturing is further regulated at the federal or state level, fracturing activities could become subject to additional permitting and financial assurance requirements, more stringent construction specifications, increased monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping obligations, plugging and abandonment requirements and also to attendant permitting delays and potential increases in costs. Such legislative or regulatory changes could cause operators of the operation on the acreage underlying the Company’s mineral interests to incur substantial compliance costs, and compliance or the consequences of any failure to comply by operators could have a material adverse effect on the Minerals Management segment. In addition, hydraulic fracturing operations require the use of a significant amount of water, and the inability of the operators of the acreage underlying the Company’s mineral interests to locate sufficient amounts of water or dispose of or recycle water used in their drilling and production operations, could adversely impact their operations. Moreover, new environmental initiatives and regulations could include restrictions on the ability to conduct certain operations such as hydraulic fracturing or disposal of waste, including, but not limited to, produced water, drilling fluids and other wastes associated with the development or production of natural gas. In some instances, the operation of underground injection wells has been alleged to cause earthquakes. Such issues have sometimes led to orders prohibiting continued injection or the suspension of drilling in certain wells identified as possible sources of seismic activity. Such concerns also have resulted in stricter regulatory requirements in some jurisdictions relating to the location and operation of underground injection wells. Future orders or regulations addressing concerns about seismic activity from well injection could affect operations on the acreage underlying the Company’s mineral interests. Endangered Species Act The Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) and analogous state laws restrict activities that may affect endangered or threatened species or their habitats. Pursuant to a settlement with environmental groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”) was required to determine whether over 250 species required listing as threatened or endangered under the ESA. USFWS has not yet completed its review, but the potential remains for new species to be listed under the ESA. Some of the Company’s properties or mineral interests may be located in areas that are or may be designated as habitats for endangered or threatened species, and previously unprotected species may later be designated as threatened or endangered in areas where the Company holds interests. For example, recently, there have been renewed calls to review protections currently in place for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, whose habitat includes portions of the Permian Basin, and to reconsider listing the species under the ESA. Likewise, there have been calls to review protections in place for the Greater Sage Grouse, which can be found across a large swath of the northwestern United States in oil and gas producing states. The listing of either of these species, or any others, in areas where the Company holds minerals interests could cause lessees to incur increased costs arising from species protection 16 Table of Contents measures, delay the completion of exploration and production activities, and/or result in limitations on operating activities that could have an adverse impact the Minerals Management segment. Natural Gas Sales and Transportation Historically, federal legislation and regulatory controls have affected the price and marketing of natural gas. FERC has jurisdiction over the transportation and sale for resale of natural gas in interstate commerce by natural gas companies under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 (“NGA”) and the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978. Since 1978, various federal laws have been enacted which have resulted in the complete removal of all price and non-price controls for sales of domestic natural gas sold in “first sales.” Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, FERC has substantial enforcement authority to prohibit the manipulation of natural gas markets and enforce its rules and orders, including the ability to assess substantial civil penalties. FERC also regulates interstate natural gas transportation rates and service conditions and establishes the terms under which operators may use interstate natural gas pipeline capacity, which affects the marketing of natural gas that operators produce, as well as the revenues operators receive for sales of natural gas and release of natural gas pipeline capacity. Commencing in 1985, FERC promulgated a series of orders, regulations and rule makings that significantly fostered competition in the business of transporting and marketing gas. Today, interstate pipeline companies are required to provide nondiscriminatory transportation services to producers, marketers and other shippers, regardless of whether such shippers are affiliated with an interstate pipeline company. FERC’s initiatives have led to the development of a competitive, open access market for natural gas purchases and sales that permits all purchasers of natural gas to buy gas directly from third-party sellers other than pipelines. However, the natural gas industry historically has been very heavily regulated; therefore, the Company cannot guarantee that the less stringent regulatory approach currently pursued by FERC and Congress will continue indefinitely into the future nor can the Company determine what effect, if any, future regulatory changes might have on natural gas-related activities. Under FERC’s current regulatory regime, transmission services must be provided on an open-access, nondiscriminatory basis at cost-based rates or at market-based rates if the transportation market at issue is sufficiently competitive. Gathering service, which occurs upstream of jurisdictional transmission services, is regulated by the states onshore and in-state waters. Section 1(b) of the NGA exempts natural gas gathering facilities from regulation by FERC as a natural gas company under the NGA. Although its policy is still in flux, FERC has in the past reclassified certain jurisdictional transmission facilities as non-jurisdictional gathering facilities, which has the tendency to increase operators’ costs of transporting gas to point-of-sale locations. Oil Sales and Transportation Sales of crude oil, condensate and natural gas liquids are not currently regulated and are made at negotiated prices. Nevertheless, Congress could reenact price controls in the future. Crude oil sales are affected by the availability, terms and cost of transportation. The transportation of oil in common carrier pipelines is also subject to rate regulation. FERC regulates interstate oil pipeline transportation rates under the Interstate Commerce Act and intrastate oil pipeline transportation rates are subject to regulation by state regulatory commissions. The basis for intrastate oil pipeline regulation, and the degree of regulatory oversight and scrutiny given to intrastate oil pipeline rates, varies from state to state. Insofar as effective interstate and intrastate rates are equally applicable to all comparable shippers, the Company believes that the regulation of oil transportation rates will not affect its operations in any materially different way than such regulation will affect the operations of competitors. Further, interstate and intrastate common carrier oil pipelines must provide service on a non-discriminatory basis. Under this open access standard, common carriers must offer service to all shippers requesting service on the same terms and under the same rates. When oil pipelines operate at full capacity, access is governed by portioning provisions set forth in the pipelines’ published tariffs. Accordingly, the Company believes that access to oil pipeline transportation services generally will be available to its operators to the same extent as to the Company or its competitors. 17 Table of Contents State Regulation Texas regulates the drilling for, and the production, gathering and sale of, oil and natural gas, including imposing severance taxes and requirements for obtaining drilling permits. Texas currently imposes a 4.6% severance tax on the market value of oil production and a 7.5% severance tax on the market value of natural gas production. States also regulate the method of developing new fields, the spacing and operation of wells and the prevention of waste of oil and natural gas resources. States may regulate rates of production and may establish maximum daily production allowable from oil and natural gas wells based on market demand or resource conservation, or both. States do not regulate wellhead prices or engage in other similar direct economic regulation, but the Company cannot be certain that they will not do so in the future. The effect of these regulations may be to limit the amount of oil and natural gas that may be produced from wells drilled by third-party lessee's and to limit the number of wells or locations the Company's third-party lessee operators can drill. The petroleum industry is also subject to compliance with various other federal, state and local regulations and laws. Some of those laws relate to resource conservation and equal employment opportunity. The Company does not believe that compliance with these laws will have a material adverse effect on its results of operations or financial condition. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA") and similar state laws create liabilities for the investigation and remediation of releases of hazardous substances into the environment and for damages to natural resources. The Company must also comply with reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act. From time to time, the Company has been the subject of administrative proceedings, litigation and investigations relating to environmental matters. The extent of the liability and the cost of complying with environmental laws cannot be predicted with certainty due to many factors, including the lack of specific information available with respect to many sites, the potential for new or changed laws and regulations, the development of new remediation technologies and the uncertainty regarding the timing of work with respect to particular sites. As a result, the Company may incur material liabilities or costs related to environmental matters in the future, and such environmental liabilities or costs could materially and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. In addition, there can be no assurance that changes in laws or regulations would not affect the manner in which the Company is required to conduct its operations. INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS The following tables set forth as of March 1, 2022 the name, age, current position and principal occupation and employment during the past five years of the Company’s executive officers. There exists no arrangement or understanding between any executive officer and any other person pursuant to which such executive officer was selected. 18 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY Name Age Current Position Other Positions J.C. Butler, Jr. 61 President and Chief Executive Officer of NACCO (from September 2017) and President and Chief Executive Officer of NACoal (from prior to 2017) From prior to 2017 to September 2017, Senior Vice President - Finance, Treasurer and Chief Administrative Officer of NACCO. From prior to 2017 to September 2017, Assistant Secretary of Hamilton Beach Brands ("HBB") and Kitchen Collection ("KC"). Matthew J. Dilluvio 32 Associate Counsel and Assistant Secretary of NACCO and NACoal (from June 2019) From prior to 2017 to May 2019, Associate, Sidley Austin LLP (law firm). Elizabeth I. Loveman 52 Vice President and Controller and Principal Financial Officer (from prior to 2017) John D. Neumann 46 Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of NACCO, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of NACoal (from prior to 2017) From prior to 2017 to September 2017, Assistant Secretary of HBB and KC. Miles B. Haberer 55 Associate General Counsel of NACCO (from prior to 2017), Associate General Counsel, Assistant Secretary of NACoal (from prior to 2017) and President, North American Coal Royalty Company (an NACoal subsidiary) (from prior to 2017) Sarah E. Fry 46 Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of NACCO (from May 2017), Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of NACoal (from May 2017) From prior to 2017 to April 2017, Senior Counsel, Locke Lord (law firm). Thomas A. Maxwell 44 Vice President - Financial Planning and Analysis and Treasurer (from September 2017) From prior to 2017 to September 2017, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis and Assistant Treasurer. PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY’S SUBSIDIARIES Name Age Current Position Other Positions Eric S. Anderson 46 President - Mitigation Resources (from March 2017) From prior to 2017 to February 2017, Environmental Manager, The Sabine Mining Company (an NACoal subsidiary). Philip N. Berry 54 President - NAMining (from prior to 2017) Eric A. Dale 47 Treasurer and Senior Director, Financial Planning and Analysis, of NACoal (from January 2017) Carroll L. Dewing 65 Vice President - Operations of NACoal (from January 2017) Andrew B. Hart 43 Controller of NACoal (from September 2019) From November 2017 to August 2019, Assistant Controller of NACoal. From prior to 2017 to October 2017, Assistant Controller at Rowan Companies, plc. Brian M. Larson 38 President - Catapult Mineral Partners, LLC (from May 2019) and Director - Oil and Gas Development (from April 2019) From prior to 2017 to March 2019, Engineer at Pioneer Natural Resources. J. Patrick Sullivan, Jr. 63 Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NACoal (from prior to 2017) 19 Table of Contents