Illinois AG asks Peabody Energy for info on future cleanup costs

• Illinois' attorney general is asking Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU) to explain how it would cover $92M in future cleanup costs in the state if the company sought bankruptcy protection.
• AG Lisa Madigan wrote in a letter to BTU expressing "significant concerns about Peabody's ability to fulfill its self-bonding obligations," and wants BTU to "publicly disclose financial information" that underpins its application to self bond in the state, Reuters reports.
• BTU, the top U.S. coal producer, said last week that it may need to seek bankruptcy protection; if that happens, a judge would decide how to prioritize liabilities such as the $92M in future cleanup costs in Illinois that are not guaranteed by cash, bonds or other securities.