PEABODY COAL CO., LLC v. Barnhart

MEMORANDUM OPINION

SUE L. ROBINSON, Chief Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

On September 14, 2005, Peabody Coal Company, LLC (“Peabody”) and Eastern Associated Coal Corporation (“EACC”) (collectively, “plaintiffs”) filed suit against defendant Jo Anne B. Barnhart (“Barn-hart”), the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (“SSA”). (D.I.l) Plaintiffs’ complaint alleges that Barn-hart’s decision 1 to assign them responsibil ity for funding health and death benefits for certain retired coal industry employees violated both § 9706 of the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act of 1992 (“Coal Act”),…