The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service is pleased to report that the agency has been granted permission to restore its computer systems, reestablish Internet connections and resume operations.

"Resuming operation of our core accounting systems will enable the MMS to receive and process mineral revenue reports and payments, and conduct its full range of related financial services for mineral revenue recipients and other program beneficiaries," explained MMS Director Johnnie Burton.

Ms. Burton, who was sworn in as Director only last week, stated "We’re back in business! Customers will be able to submit royalty and production reports to MMS via our contractor, Peregrine Corporation."

"Not only will we reestablish actual working relations with our customers, we will have the convenience of email communications with those outside our agency. We will also have Internet access for informational purposes, including public access to our website and our own ability to search external websites."

MMS is contacting companies to advise them to resume submission of royalty and production reports to MMS’s electronic commerce provider, Peregrine Corporation. Peregrine can be reached by telephone at (800) 406-6056.

Information regarding electronic reporting can be obtained from the MMS by calling (800) 525-9167.

MMS is the federal agency 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 $10 billion in 2001 and more than $120 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.

--MMS-20 Years of Service to America--