U.S. Department of the Interior
Minerals Management Service
Office of Communications

NEWS RELEASE

        The Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) will host the next Royalty Policy Committee meeting of the Minerals Management Advisory Board on Friday, February 4, in Houston, Texas. The meeting will be from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel, 12400 Greenspoint Drive, Houston, Texas, (713) 875-1652.

        At this meeting, the Committee plans to elect a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Parliamentarian, as well as consider revised by-laws. Interim reports will also be presented by the subcommittees on Phosphate, Trona and Leaseable Solid Minerals; Coal; Accounting Relief for Marginal Properties; and the Freedom of Information Act. If time permits, the public will be invited to make statements during the meeting and file written statements with the Committee for consideration.

        The MMS will be prepared to discuss the Royalty-in-Kind pilots, Royalty Management Program's reengineering overview and Operational Models, MMS Strategic Plan for 2001-2005, and the MMS Awards Ceremony to be held in April.

        The Secretary of the Interior established the Royalty Policy Committee to provide advice on the Department's management of federal and Indian mineral leases, revenues, and other policies related to mineral resources. Committee membership includes representatives from states, Indian Tribes and Indian allottee organizations, industry associations, the general public, and other federal agencies. This will be the tenth meeting of the Royalty Policy Committee.

        To submit written comments, contact Gary Fields, MMS, Royalty Management Program, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3062, Denver, CO 80225-0165. He may also be reached at (303) 231-3102, or fax (303) 231-3781.

        MMS is the federal agency that manages the Nation’s natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, and collects, accounts for and disburses about $4 billion yearly in revenues from offshore federal mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases on federal and Indian lands.

-MMS-

MMS Internet website address: http://www.mms.gov
24 hour Fax-on-Demand Service:(202) 219-1703