FOR RELEASE: August 1, 1995                  CONTACT: Tom DeRocco
                                                    (202)208-3983
                                               Michael L. Baugher
                                                   (303) 231-3162
     

        INTERIOR ESTABLISHES ROYALTY POLICY COMMITTEE,
       NAMES MEMBERS AND SETS FIRST MEETING FOR DENVER

                             
   Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today announced the
appointment of members to, and the establishment of, the Royalty
Policy Committee for the Minerals Management Advisory Board.

  The committee joins the Outer Continental Shelf Policy
Committee, the Gulf of Mexico Offshore Advisory Committee and the
Outer Continental Shelf Scientific Committee as members of the
Minerals Management Advisory Board.

  Established to provide recommendations and guidance to the
Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the Minerals
Management Service (MMS) on various royalty management policies
and procedures, the 28-member committee comprises representatives
from federal agencies, involved states, Western Governors 
Association, Western States Land Commissioners Association,
Indian tribes and allottee associations, the minerals industry,
and the interested public.

  The Royalty Policy Committee is scheduled to have its first
meeting in Denver in mid-September to discuss streamlining and
simplifying processes associated with collecting and disbursing
federal and Indian minerals revenues.

    As representatives of groups most affected by mineral revenue
practices, this special caucus of experts will serve an important
role in advising on issues related to management of the Nation s
multi-billion dollar, federal and Indian minerals revenue
program. Its creation occurs at a critical time when there is an
increased emphasis by all stakeholders to make the Royalty
Management Program work better and cost less,  said Assistant
Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Bob Armstrong.

   Through the MMS Royalty Management Program, the Interior
Department collects and distributes nearly $4 billion in revenues
each year.  Made up of bonuses, rentals and royalties, these
revenues are derived from more than 100,000 federal offshore,
onshore and Indian mineral leases. 

   A portion of the revenues collected from onshore leases is
shared with the states in which the leases are located.  All
revenues collected from Indian leases are turned over to the
appropriate Indian organization or individual allottee through
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, another Interior agency.  


    For additional information, contact Clare Onstad, Royalty
Management Program, Minerals Management Service, Box 25165,
Denver, Colorado 80225, or call (303) 231-3827.

                       --MMS--

Following is a list of committee members for your convenience:
  
  Members representing states are:
       Ernest A. Burguieres, III, Louisiana
       Johnnie Burton, Wyoming

  Members representing Western Governors  Association:
       Ronald W. Cattany, Colorado
       Don Hoffman, Montana

  Members representing Western States Land Commissioners          
    Association are:
       Gary Carlson, New Mexico
       Della Pearson, Texas
 
  Members representing Indian interests are:
       Richard L. Ortiz, Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes
       Eddie Jacobs, Oklahoma Indian Minerals Owners Association
       David Harrison, Council of Energy Resource Tribes
       Perry Shirley, Navajo Nation
       Thomas  Shipps, Southern Ute Indian Tribe 
       Alan R. Taradash, Jicarilla Apache Tribe and Shii Shi      
        Keyah Allottee Assn. 

  Members representing industry interests are:
       Wendy F. Daboval, American Petroleum Institute
       J. Larry Nichols, Independent Petroleum Association of     
        America
       Darrell Gingerich, Council of Petroleum Accountant         
        Societies
       David Blackmon, Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Association
       Alex Woodruff, Independent Petroleum Association of        
        Mountain States
       Steven P. Williams, Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association
       Edward L. Sullivan, National Mining Association
       Paul E. Smallen, National Mining Association
       Joel Rollins, Natural Gas Supply Association

  Members representing public interests are:
       Sandy Blackstone, a natural resources attorney
       Ernest E. Smith, University of Texas at Austin

  ExOfficio Members representing federal agencies are:
       Kenneth Carfine, Department of the Treasury
       Marilyn Rand, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
       Leonard L. Coburn, Department of Energy
       W. Hord Tipton, Bureau of Land Management
       William L. Collier, Jr., Bureau of Indian Affairs
       James W. Shaw, Minerals Management Service, Executive      
        Secretary

                     --MMS--