DENVER — As part of an initiative to strengthen the company’s board of directors’ leadership and enhance corporate governance, the board of directors of Evergreen Energy Inc., a cleaner coal technology, energy production and environmental solutions company, has added energy and capital markets veteran William H. Walker Jr. to its board of directors as its new non-executive chairman.

Walker, 62, is former president of Howard Weil Inc., a respected energy and capital formation firm.  After Evergreen’s upcoming annual meeting, Walker’s appointment, combined with two additional board moves reported below, will give Evergreen 10 directors, nine of whom are independent as defined by NYSE Arca rules.

Several additional board and governance moves were also announced:

• Theodore Venners, the company’s founder, chief strategy officer and a current board member, will not stand for reelection at the June 17 annual shareholders meeting.  The move follows the board’s requirement that only one member of Evergreen management serve on the board.  Evergreen President and CEO Kevin R. Collins will continue to serve on the board.

• John V. Lovoi has resigned from the board so that he can devote more time to his other business interests.

• Robert J. Clark, formerly non-executive chairman, has relinquished his chairman role but remains on the board and will continue to chair the audit committee.

• Jack C. Pester has relinquished his role as “lead director,” a position which the board determined was no longer required.

• At its June 17 shareholder meeting, Evergreen will ask shareholders to vote on a company-supported proposal to further strengthen corporate governance by “declassifying” directors’ terms so that by 2010, all directors will be reelected on an annual basis.  Currently, Evergreen board members serve three-year terms and are divided into three classes, with a single class coming up for reelection each year.

Walker served as Howard Weil’s president for 20 years and as chairman of the board for a period of time before retiring in 2005.  He currently serves on the board of directors of Cleco Corporation, is chairman of Cleco’s compensation committee and is a member of its executive and finance committees.  Cleco is a regional energy company headquartered in Pineville, La., that operates a regulated electric utility company serving about 273,000 customers across Louisiana.

Evergreen Energy Inc. refines coal into a cleaner, more efficient and affordable solid fuel to meet the energy demands of industrial and utility customers while addressing environmental concerns.