FOR RELEASE:  August 24, 1994               CONTACT:   Lee Scurry
                                                   (202) 208-3983


      MMS AND WESTERN STATES LAND COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION
                SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (#40063)


     The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management
Service (MMS) and the Western States Land Commissioners Association
(WSLCA) signed an agreement August 23 to encourage consistent
royalty management policies and practices, MMS officials announced.

     "MMS and WSLCA have similar responsibilities under mineral
resource management," MMS Acting Director Cynthia Quarterman said. 
"By coordinating our policies, this Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) will facilitate increased communication, benefiting both
organizations as well as our customers."

     The MOU outlines cooperative efforts such as: sharing lease
and economic data, targeting specific issues and geographic/market
areas, coordinating audit work schedules, coordinating policy at
the working level, and participating in a joint internship program.

     Both organizations will review internal procedures and, where
appropriate, make revisions to accommodate the MOU objectives,
Quarterman added.

     MMS is the agency that manages and regulates the nation's
natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the Outer
Continental Shelf, and collects and disburses royalties from
offshore mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases on Federal
and Indian lands.

                              -MMS-

Subject: PR-8/24/94 WSLCA/MMS and Western States Land Commissioners
Association Sign Memorandum of Understanding (#40063)