U.S. Department of the Interior
Minerals Management Service
Office of Public Affairs

NEWS RELEASE

Today, the Minerals Management Service’s contractor Mar, Incorporated was awarded the Department of the Interior’s 2001 Environmental Achievement Award for developing and implementing innovative methods of recycling waste oil and scrap metal used at the national Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank (OHMSETT) in Leonardo, N.J.

The Departmental award recognizes bureaus, employees and contractors for exceptional achievements in environmental management areas such as pollution prevention, recycling, environmental stewardship and facility excellence.

OHMSETT is the only facility where full-scale oil spill response equipment testing, research and training is conducted in a marine environment using various oil types under controlled simulated ocean conditions. The large, outdoor industrial test facility is operated and maintained by the MMS through a contract with Mar, Inc. Its mission is to strengthen awareness of oil spill pollution, prevention and response methods.

Mar, Inc. earned the Environmental Achievement Award for their innovative method of recycling waste oil and scrap metal at OHMSETT. By installing special oil and water separator and filtration systems, large quantities of oil are collected and reused for additional oil spill tests and then collected and recycled for heating oil. For their scrap metal recycling program, Mar, Inc. gives the metal to the U.S. Navy who sells it and uses the proceeds to repair housing facilities on the grounds of Naval Weapons Station Earle, where OHMSETT is located. This recycling program is not only environmentally friendly, but it promotes positive community relations and saves MMS refuse disposal fees that would normally be charged.

According to MMS Acting Director Tom Kitsos, "We are very proud of Mar and OHMSETT and their outstanding environmental protection programs. This award exemplifies how innovative recycling methods not only help the environment, but also prove to be cost-saving practices." Kitsos explained that "last year alone, more than 81,000 gallons of recycled waste oil went to the production of heating fuels, and saved the MMS almost $100,000 in hazardous waste disposal fees."

The Environmental Achievement Awards were presented by Lynn Scarlett, Assistant Secretary – Policy, Management and Budget to 13 recipients from Interior bureaus. The ceremony took place at 2 p.m. at the Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.

MMS is the federal agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages the nation's oil, natural gas and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf in federal offshore waters. The agency also collects, accounts for and disburses mineral revenues from federal and Indian leases. These revenues totaled nearly $8 billion last year and more than $110 billion since the agency was created in 1982. Annually, nearly $1 billion from those revenues go into the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the acquisition and development of state and federal park and recreation lands.

This press release and in-depth information about MMS programs may be found on the MMS home page. To receive the latest MMS news releases automatically by email, send a request to Monica Contee.

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MMS Internet website address: http://www.mms.gov