Most spilled oil is not known to do any damage and is not recovered.

Mr. YATES. It's not recovered?

Mr. BETTENBERG. That's correct.

Mr. YATES. I thought that they had the means at least in calm. seas to recover it.

Mr. BETTENBERG. In calm seas, you can recover a greater amount.

Mr. YATES. It seems to prevent the kind of environmental disaster that takes place

Mr. BETTENBERG. Well, what we focus on is avoiding it. In fact, at the beginning of this month, we finally published a new set of operating rules after a six year effort to consolidate and improve them. We've put even tougher standards in terms of blowout prevention, in order to assure that we don't have spills offshore.

Mr. YATES. Okay.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUESTS

We have a lot of questions for the record.

We would ask all the witnesses, and we'll ask you the same question: do you have a wish list on your budget? Are there any appropriations that you would like to see the Committee approve that are not contained in your budget request?

Mr. BETTENBERG. I have no wish list, Mr. Chairman.

I have discussed this with Mr. Sant; and in terms of the audit strategy; we haven't thought of it. At this point, they say that we do. Otherwise, I wouldn't.

Mr. YATES. Who is that?

Mr. BETTENBERG. Mr. Sant.

Mr. YATES. Are you sure?

Mr. BETTENBERG. And Mr. Moyers.

Mr. SANT. We think that we have enough auditors to accomplish what is laid out here.

Mr. YATES. Will you have enough when you make up the audit plan? [Laughter.]

Mr. SANT. We've got enough to protect the public interest.

Mr. YATES. Well, when will you make up the plan? Will you have it prepared before we mark up?

Mr. SANT. Well

Mr. YATES. If you have it planned before we mark up, we'd appreciate it. If you need more auditors, we would appreciate your letting us know.

Mr. SANT. We will.

Mr. YATES. All right.

The committee stands adjourned.

[Questions and answers submitted for the record follow:]

ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

Royalty Management

Question: On August 16, 1987, the Minerals Management Service has reorganized the Royalty Management program by the creation of a Deputy Associate Director of Valuation and Audit and a Deputy Associate Director for the Collection and Disbursement.

How has this reorganization improved the royalty management program?

Answer: The then existing Deputy was retitled Deputy Associate Director for Collection and Disbursement, and a new Deputy for Valuation and Audit was established. As was contemplated in the reorganization, the addition of a second Deputy provided a logical functional split to oversee day-to-day operations within RMP, and brought a reasonable balance to the two Deputies' workload. The present structure provides for closer management and oversight of RMP's audit and product valuation programs, as well as the systems management responsibilities. We believe this reorganization was a positive step for RMP, allowing leadership resources to focus on identified problem

areas.

Appropriation Language

Question: In fiscal year 1989 the MMS is requesting bill language which would provide $3,000 for reasonable expenses related to promoting volunteer beach and marine clean-up activities.

- Why does MMS need funding for this purpose?

- Why is MMS involved in the beach and marine clean-up activities?

Answer: MMS is helping to clean up public beaches in support of the "Take Pride in America" program. This effort grew out of initial MMS work to improve the record of OCS operations with regard to their contribution to the offshore debris problem. As that problem was brought under control, it became clear that most of the debris was not oil- and gas-activity related, but was, nonetheless, environmentally damaging in a variety of ways. It originates from sources such as freighters, shrimpers, fishermen, recreational boaters, debris left on beaches, and the outflow of rivers.

The MMS has organized and is chairing a task force consisting of representatives from the Federal, State, and private sectors who have been assembled to develop solutions to the marine-debris problem affecting the waters, beaches, and wildlife resources of the Gulf of Mexico. The task force has placed a strong emphasis on bringing the problem to the attention of those industries and other users of the Gulf of Mexico who are or may be contributing to the problem. Educational and public awareness efforts such as beach cleanups have proven to be successful and will be continued.

The MMS personnel have been involved in cleanup efforts in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi to date. Additionally, MMS employees have "adopted" Fourchon Beach in LaFourche Parish, Louisiana which they are cleaning up periodically with employees and their families and friends volunteering their time on weekends. The requested language would give MMS limited authority to purchase, within existing appropriations, promotional items or token refreshments to further encourage these cleanup efforts in a limited number of cases where private and non-Federal governmental funds are inadequate.

Question: Bill language is also requested in fiscal year 1989 limiting the amount available for data gathering to determine the boundary between State and Federal lands offshore of Alaska.

Why is it necessary to continue this limitation in FY 1989?

What amount of funding has the State of Alaska contributed to this effort to date?

When does MMS envision that this activity will be completed?

Answer: It is desirable to require the State of Alaska to match offshore boundary survey funding in areas where both parties claim a common baseline because both the State and Federal Governments share in the benefits of establishing their common boundaries.

Direct State of Alaska contributions to joint survey efforts are as

If the State and Federal Governments agree on a fixed boundary in the area of U.S. v. Alaska (No. 84 original, Icy Cape to the Canadian border), no more survey work in that area will be required after 1988.

Extensive unsurveyed areas exist in Bristol Bay, Kotzebue Sound, and other Alaskan areas of as yet unidentified mineral potential. If it is decided to proceed with work in those areas, they could be completed in the early 1990's.

Question: In fiscal year 1988 the Minerals Management Service transferred $100,000 to support the establishment of an Administrative Satellite Office in Los Angeles.

Why is it necessary to establish a satellite office in Los Angeles?

What are the duties of the 4 FTE's associated with this office?

Answer: When the Administrative Service Center (ASC) concept was first instituted in October 1982, the MMS had a Western ASC in Anchorage, Alaska, with a subcenter in Menlo Park, California. With the transfer of onshore leasing and operations responsibilities to the Bureau of Land Management, the need for the Menlo Park office was reevaluated and the decision made to service the Pacific OCS Region out of the Central ASC (CASC). After some 4 years of experience under this arrangement, it became apparent that in order to ensure better and more timely service to the Pacific OCS Region, a COlocated Administrative Office would have to be established.

In this regard, we were experiencing problems in providing Personnel services to the Los Angeles area due to geographic separation and because the Los Angeles Office had to share these services with Royalty Management--(a relatively high activity organization because of the additional hiring authority, personnel turnover, and organizational changes that occurred in the past several years). Problems were also evident in the procurement area, especially in small purchases. Additionally, the General Services Administrative (GSA) recently transferred responsibility for facilities management for the Pacific OCS Region to MMS. This requires someone onsite to manage and maintain the Regional building in Los Angeles. The reasons cited, in the aggregate, persuaded us to establish the Satellite Office.

The 4 FTE's transferred from the Pacific OCS Region are as follows:

2 Purchasing Agents

1 Human Resource Specialist

1 Clerk Typist

Outer Continental Shelf Lands

Question: Based on the Secretary's decision regarding the Florida Straits lease sale, provide a new milestone table for the 5-year leasing program.

Answer: The new milestone table for the 5-year leasing program follows:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

5-YEAR OCS OIL AND GAS LEASING PROGRAM