“According to Alpha, these executives need these bonuses as an incentive to do the very jobs they were hired to do, that they are already highly compensated for with generous salaries, and which their fiduciary duties compel them to do,” the government wrote. “Such bonuses cannot be justified under the facts and circumstances of this case.”

Alpha initially sought bonuses for 17 executives totaling up to $14.8 million. The company filed a renewed proposal last week to pay as much as $11.9 million to 15 executives. The revision followed negotiations with creditors and the departure of two higher-ups from the company.

The bonuses are contingent on Alpha executives meeting a series of performance benchmarks, including cost cutting, the firm’s cash position and its environmental and safety record.

Executives will receive a total of $3.4 million if they meet a “threshold” performance level, $6.8 million if they meet a so-called “target” level, and as much as $11.9 million if they exceed expectations.

The government questioned the size of those bonuses, noting they exceeded what Alpha executives received in the years leading up to its bankruptcy filing.