ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ACCESS CONTRACT (#30031)


FOR RELEASE:  June 24, 1993              CONTACT:   Tom DeRocco
                                                 (202) 208-3983

         FIRM WINS CONTRACT TO PROVIDE RETRIEVAL SYSTEM
            FOR OCS ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION(#30031)

     The U.S. Interior Department's Minerals Management Service
(MMS) today announced the award of a $2.7 million contract to a
McLean, Virginia, firm to develop an automated retrieval system for
environmental information on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

     SETA Corp. of McLean, VA, will develop a computer information
system to provide easy public access to more than 4,000 studies and
reports on the OCS.  The information was collected and prepared as
part of MMS's Environmental Studies Program (ESP).  SETA is
certified by the Small Business Administration as a small,
minority-owned business.

     The automated, full-text retrieval system will be known as the
Environmental Studies Program Information System (ESPIS).  "This
state-of-the-art system will make information and reports developed
through the ESP readily accessible to planners, decision-makers,
researchers, universities, industry and the public," Acting MMS
Director Carolita Kallaur said.

     The ESP has been the primary source of environmental data for
offshore oil and gas resource management activities since its
inception in 1973.  ESPIS is slated to be operational by early in
1997.

     MMS administers federal offshore mineral programs and manages
the federal mineral royalty program.  MMS is committed to
protecting the environment and providing opportunities for the
discovery and recovery of offshore energy resources such as natural
gas and oil.
                              -MMS-