The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said on Monday it will issue a Request for Information and Interest to receive public feedback on potential mineral leasing areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off Virginia.
The agency said it is an early step that does not commit the agency to a lease sale.
The request for information, to be published in the Federal Register on June 23, opens a 30-day comment period ending July 23.
BOEM said it is seeking input from industry, the public, state and local governments and tribal nations on possible lease areas, resource types, environmental concerns and interactions with fishing, shipping and energy development.
The agency said the effort aligns with the Trump administration’s push to increase domestic mineral production and reduce dependence on imports for materials used in manufacturing, defense and emerging technologies.
If BOEM moves forward, it would issue proposed and final leasing notices before any competitive sale.
(By Pranav Mathur; Editing by Edward Tobin)
