BOEM Identifies Potential Offshore Mineral Leasing Area

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has completed the Area Identification step in BOEM’s Outer Continental Shelf mineral leasing process for potential critical mineral development offshore the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Area Identification is the next step in BOEM’s regulatory framework and represents the identification of tracts to be carried forward for further leasing consideration and environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. It is not a commitment to lease and does not authorize any mineral development activities.

The identification and environmental analysis follow the publication of the Request for Information and Interest on Nov. 12, 2025. BOEM reviewed available OCS mineral resource information, environmental data, and comments and indications of interest received from stakeholders, Indigenous communities, territorial governments, industry representatives, and the public.

More than 65,000 public submissions were received, including both comments opposing and supporting advancement of offshore critical mineral activities.

BOEM will now prepare an Environmental Assessment to analyze the action of leasing and authorization of preliminary activities. Preliminary activities are defined as actions that have no significant adverse impact on natural resources and only allow a leaseholder to conduct bathymetric, geological, geophysical, mapping, and other surveys necessary to develop a future comprehensive Delineation, Testing, and/or Mining Plan.

The environmental review will include necessary consultations under environmental and other statutes including Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.