FOR RELEASE:  November 22, 1995             CONTACT:  Tom DeRocco
                                                   (202) 208-3985

             MMS OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
                          TO MEET NOVEMBER 29-30

     The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Scientific Committee of
the Minerals Management Advisory Board will meet November 29-30,
at the Washington Dulles Airport Hilton, 13869 Park Center Drive,
Herndon, VA.  The 15-member committee of distinguished scientists
advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the
Interior Department's Minerals Management Service (MMS) on the
feasibility, appropriateness and scientific value of the agency's
Environmental Studies Program (ESP).

     The agenda for Wednesday, November 29, calls for
subcommittee reviews of Fiscal Year 1998 Strategic Studies Plans
for Alaska, the Pacific Region and the Gulf of Mexico.  

     Topics for Thursday, November 30, include:
 
         overview of the Fiscal Year 1996 Studies Budget;

         overview of the MMS OCS Sand and Gravel Program and     
          Implications for Environmental Studies requirements;

         overview of the Coastal Marine Institutes;

         committee discussions with MMS Acting Deputy Director   
          Carolita Kallaur;

         status report on the Joint Subcommittee* of the         
          Scientific Committee and OCS Policy Committee; and,

         status report on the MMS Lease Abandonment Workshop and 
          Marine Board Review.

     The MMS is the federal agency that manages the Nation's
natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the Outer
Continental Shelf, 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-

* NOTE:   The Subcommittee will provide an independent review and
evaluation of specific information needs for OCS areas under
moratoria.