FOR RELEASE:  May 4, 1995                  CONTACT:  Tom DeRocco
                                                  (202) 208-3983


            MMS AND STATE OF ALASKA SIGN MOU,
   INCREASE COORDINATION ON COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES
(#50034)

       The U. S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management
Service (MMS) and the State of Alaska signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) on coordination procedures for consistency
determinations prior to federal lease sales offshore Alaska, MMS
officials announced today.                  

       "This MOU is a significant example of how we plan to work
together with our constituents," said MMS Director Cynthia
Quarterman.  "Exchanging information prior to formal decisions
will help avoid and resolve disputes with affected parties early
in our process.  Also, advance communications will help ensure
that federal leasing proposals are consistent with State Coastal
Management plans.

       "I appreciate the effort spent by the State of Alaska
toward reaching this agreement, which has been under discussion
for a while.  This partnership will greatly enhance our efforts
to protect the Coastal Zone," she said.

       MMS Alaska Regional Director Judy Gottlieb and Diane
Mayer, Director of Alaska's Division of Governmental
Coordination, signed the agreement at the Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Policy Committee meeting in Houston.

       MMS is the federal agency that manages the nation's
natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the OCS, and
collects and disburses about $4 billion yearly in revenues from
offshore federal mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases
on federal and Indian lands.

                                    -MMS-
Subject: PR-5/4/95 Coastal Zone Management/MMS & State of Alaska
Sign MOU, Increase Coordination on CZM (#50034)