Alliance Resource Partners Lp (ARLP) SEC Filing 10-K Annual report for the fiscal year ending Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALLIANCE RESOURCE PARTNERS, L.P.

Reports Record Annual Operating and Financial Results; Increases Quarterly Cash Distribution to $0.715 Per Unit; and Provides Guidance for 2009

TULSA, OKLAHOMA, January 28, 2009 – Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) today reported records for tons produced, tons sold and revenues for the year ended December 31, 2008 (the “2008 Period”). After normalizing for the non-recurring synfuel benefits realized in 2007, ARLP also reported record EBITDA for the 2008 Period. (For a definition of EBITDA and related reconciliations to GAAP, please see the end of this release).

ARLP also announced that the Board of Directors of its managing general partner (the “Board”) increased the cash distribution to unitholders for the quarter ended December 31, 2008 (the “2008 Quarter”) to $0.715 per unit (an annualized rate of $2.86 per unit), payable on February 13, 2009 to all unitholders of record as of the close of trading on February 6, 2009. The announced distribution represents a 22.2% increase over the cash distribution of $0.585 for the quarter ended December 31, 2007 (the “2007 Quarter”) and a 2.1% increase over the third quarter 2008 cash distribution of $0.70 per unit.

“For the eighth consecutive year, ARLP posted new records for coal sales, production volumes and revenues,” said Joseph W. Craft III, President and Chief Executive Officer. “With a solid customer base, substantial coal supply commitment levels, visible cash flow growth and ample liquidity, ARLP is well positioned to build on this strong performance in 2009. While we are pleased with our results and optimistic about ARLP’s future, we are also well aware of the near term challenges caused by the current global recession. The depth of the economic decline and the resulting impact on coal demand and prices has been greater than we previously anticipated. It now appears ARLP’s coal price realizations for 2009 and beyond will be lower than previously expected. Fortunately, we have substantial future production committed under contracts at price levels that should allow ARLP to achieve substantial growth over 2008 results. Predicting future coal prices is, however, currently very difficult. The uncertain demand requirements combined with the evolving supply response have resulted in a lack of new contracts for physical deliveries of coal and, thus, any reliable price discovery to anticipate the future coal price curve. ARLP expects the coal markets to remain volatile until we see signs of an economic rebound”.

“In this environment,” Mr. Craft continued, “the Board believes the most prudent course of action is to temporarily moderate management’s previously stated goals for unitholder distribution growth. We will continue to monitor the markets and economy and, as circumstances warrant, will be prepared to reassess our views in the coming quarters. Although we are faced with challenges

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