Sec Form 4 Filing - Carbone Kendall K @ CLOUD PEAK ENERGY INC. - 2018-03-02

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Carbone Kendall K 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CLOUD PEAK ENERGY INC. [ CLD] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) VP & Chief Accounting Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 505 S. GILLETTE AVE. 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 03/02/2018 (Street) GILLETTE, WY82716 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/02/2018 M 7,025 ( 1 ) A $ 0 7,025 ( 5 ) D Common Stock 03/02/2018 F 3,090 ( 2 ) D $ 3.3 3,935 ( 5 ) D Common Stock 03/02/2018 M 10,537 ( 3 ) A $ 3.3 14,472 ( 5 ) D Common Stock 03/02/2018 F 4,635 ( 4 ) D $ 3.3 9,837 ( 5 ) D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Followin g Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Performance Share Units ( 3 ) 03/02/2018 M 10,537 ( 3 ) ( 3 ) Common Stock 10,537 $ 0 0 D Restricted Stock Units ( 6 ) 03/02/2018 A 18,456 ( 7 ) ( 6 ) ( 6 ) Common Stock 18,456 ( 7 ) $ 0 18,456 ( 7 ) D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Carbone Kendall K 505 S. GILLETTE AVE. GILLETTE, WY82716 VP & Chief Accounting Officer Signatures /s/ Bryan J. Pechersky, attorney-in-fact for Kendall K. Carbone 03/06/2018 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Reflects the number of 2015 restricted stock units ("RSUs") vested on 3/2/2018. Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Cloud Peak Energy Inc. ("CPE") common stock. 100% of the restricted stock units vest three years from the date of grant (which was 3/2/2015). The Reporting Person was not a Section 16 officer as of the date of the grant of the 2015 RSUs. ( 2 )Reflects the number of shares of common stock withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of the Reporting Person's tax withholding obligation upon the vesting of 2015 RSUs. ( 3 )Each 2015 performance share unit ("PSU") represented a contingent right to receive the value of one share of Cloud Peak Energy Inc. common stock. The PSUs vested 3 years from the date of grant (which was 3/2/2015) upon CPE's achievement of performance goals, which were based upon CPE's relative and absolute total shareholder return ("TSR"). These TSR achievements resulted in a payout of 100% of the target. ( 4 )Reflects the number of shares of common stock withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of the Reporting Person's tax withholding obligation upon the vesting of 2015 PSUs. ( 5 )This total does not include RSUs granted to the Reporting Person in 2016, 2017 or 2018 because vested RSUs may be paid in shares, cash or a combination of shares and cash, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee. ( 6 )Each 2018 RSU represents a contingent right to receive the value of one share of CPE common stock. In general, 100% of the RSUs vest three years after the date of grant subject to the terms of the award agreement and CPE's long-term incentive plan ("LTIP"). Vested RSUs may be paid in shares, cash or a combination of shares and cash, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee. ( 7 )This total does not include 2018 PSUs that were also granted on 3/2/2018 and that will be reported under Section 16 upon any vesting, as provided by applicable rules. PSUs represent a contingent right to receive the value of one share of CPE common stock. In general, PSUs vest 3 years from the date of grant depending on CPE's achievement of performance goals, which are based upon CPE's TSR, and subject to the terms of the award agreement and CPE's LTIP. These TSR achievements may result in a payout ranging between 0% and 200% of the target.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

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