EXHIBIT 99.1

WILLIAMS COAL SEAM GAS ROYALTY TRUST


                                  PRESS RELEASE


   WILLIAMS COAL SEAM GAS ROYALTY TRUST ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY CASH DISTRIBUTION

         DALLAS, TEXAS, AUGUST 4, 2003 -- BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as trustee of
Williams Coal Seam Gas Royalty Trust, today announced a quarterly cash
distribution to the holders of its units of beneficial interest of $0.415848 per
unit, payable August 29, 2003 to unitholders of record on August 14, 2003.

         The Trust owns net profits interests in certain proved coal seam gas
properties owned by Williams Production Company (WPC) and located in the San
Juan Basin of northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado, including WPC's
35 percent net profits interest in 5,348 gross acres in La Plata County,
Colorado (the "Farmout Properties"). WPC reported that production attributable
to its gross interests in the properties burdened by the Trust's net profits
interests was 5.0 trillion British thermal units (TBtu) during the period
associated with this quarterly cash distribution compared to 5.3 TBtu during the
preceding period. When prior period adjustments are excluded, production in the
current quarter was 5.0 TBtu compared to a similar 5.0 TBtu in the preceding
quarter. The distribution per unit increased from $0.378438 to $0.415848
primarily as a result of an increase in revenue attributable to an extraordinary
retroactive adjustment for the Farmout Properties made by the operator, BP
America, in the second quarter of 2003.

         The Trust is a grantor trust formed by The Williams Companies, Inc.,
parent company of WPC, and is designed to provide unitholders with quarterly
cash distributions and tax credits under Section 29 of the Internal Revenue Code
from certain coal seam gas properties. The units are listed on The New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol "WTU".

         For more information on Williams Coal Seam Gas Royalty Trust, please
visit our website at www.wtu-williamscoalseamgastrust.com.

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CONTACT:

      Ron E. Hooper, Senior Vice President
      Bank of America, N.A., Trustee
      (800) 365-6544