MMS Press Release -Access to MMS Online Information Returns

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

FOR RELEASE:

July 21, 2003

CONTACT:

Nicolette Humphries (202) 208-3985

Rebecca Phipps (202) 208-3985

Although the Minerals Management Service’s Internet and email connections remain shut down because of a Temporary Restraining Order, the public may now access agency information through a remotely hosted website. The website address remains the same – http://www.mms.gov.

MMS has arranged for its website to be hosted on a remote server to make vital information and statistics easily available to the public. Despite the shutdown, MMS has internal access to its website, and continues to post new information, including web content and data tables. MMS will upload the website to the remote server daily to keep content as current as possible.

Since external Internet and email connections remain shut down at the agency, this website is not fully functional. For example, visitors cannot conduct searches of the website, and links leading to documents or information housed outside of the MMS website will not operate.

Internet connections and email access were interrupted at MMS on June 28 after the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued a TRO in connection with Cobell vs. Norton. The shutdown order was not based on any representation of direct action or inaction of MMS. Throughout the current shutdown, systems processing financial and production reports through MMS contractors remain operational pending discussions with the Special Master in the case.

For the time being, all contact with MMS must be made through telephone, fax or mail. You may call the MMS Office of Public Affairs at (202) 208-3985 or fax us at (202) 208-3918.

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 American Indian leases. These revenues totaled over $6 billion in 2002 and nearly $127 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.