The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced key developments in its offshore critical minerals planning, with the completion of Area Identification offshore American Samoa.
BOEM also announced the release of a Request for Information and Interest for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Acting BOEM Director Matt Giacona said, “The Pacific Outer Continental Shelf holds vast potential for critical minerals that power American manufacturing and defense technology. These resources are key to ensuring the United States is not reliant on China and other nations for its critical minerals needs.
“These initial steps—inviting public input in Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and completing Area Identification offshore American Samoa—ensure that BOEM’s decision-making is locally informed, environmentally sound, and done in a scientific manner.”
BOEM completed the area identification for American Samoa, which determines the specific areas on the Outer Continental Shelf that will undergo environmental review of proposed commercial leases for critical minerals in the form of an environmental assessment pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
“We are in the first step in the process of understanding what are the potential economic benefits and environmental impacts a lease sale would have for American Samoa,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs William Hague.
“If done right, this could produce great economic return for our fellow Americans in the territory.”
The environmental assessment will 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 characterize the environment. This environmental review will include necessary consultations under environmental and other statutes including Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
The Area Identification is not a decision to lease and does not prejudge whether or how the Department of the Interior will move forward with a potential lease sale. Any decision to lease must be preceded by additional steps, including publications in the Federal Register of both the proposed leasing notice for a 60-day comment period and the leasing notice at least 30 days prior to a commercial sale.
A lease, if issued, does not authorize exploration, testing, development, or production activities. Additional on-lease activities will be considered under subsequent Federal decisions upon review of the lessee submitted plans.
The Area Identification Decision Memorandum is available here: https://www.boem.gov/marine-minerals/american-samoa-activities.
