[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 224 (Monday, November 24, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52996-52999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20760]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2025-0483]
Notice of Availability of the 11th National Outer Continental
Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program: 1st Analysis and
Proposal MAA104000
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is announcing the
availability of, and requests comments on, the Draft Proposed Program
(DPP) for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas
Leasing Program (11th Program or National OCS Program).
DATES: Comments should be submitted by January 23, 2026 to the address
specified in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the DPP may be submitted in one of the following
ways:
1. Through the Regulations.gov web portal (preferred method):
Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and under the Search tab, in the
space provided, type in Docket ID: BOEM-2025-0483 to submit comments
and to view other comments already submitted.
2. Mailed in an envelope labeled ``Comments for the 11th National
OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program'' and mailed (or hand delivered) to Ms.
Kelly Hammerle, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (VAM-LD), 45600
Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166-9216, telephone (703) 342-8867.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Program Manager,
(703) 342-8867.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OCS Lands Act declares that it is the
policy of the United States that the OCS ``is a vital national resource
reserve held by the Federal Government for the public, which should be
made available for expeditious and orderly development, subject to
environmental safeguards, in a manner which is consistent with the
maintenance of competition and other national needs.'' (43 U.S.C.
1332). BOEM requests information and comments from Tribal, state, and
local governments; Native American and Native Alaskan organizations;
Federal agencies; environmental and other public interest
organizations; the oil and gas industry; non-energy industries; other
interested organizations and entities; and the public for use in the
preparation of the 11th National OCS Program. BOEM is seeking a wide
array of information, including but not limited to information
associated with the economic, social, and environmental values of all
OCS resources, as well as the potential impact of oil and gas
exploration and development on OCS resources and the marine, coastal,
and human environments.
During this comment period, BOEM is soliciting nominations for
environmentally sensitive areas that may be considered for exclusion
from leasing. These may be analyzed in the environmental analysis
document at the National OCS Program stage but may also be reviewed and
considered at subsequent stages in the process. Ideally, nominations
for areas to exclude from leasing would be discrete geographic areas
that are smaller than a planning area (e.g., areas of sensitive bottom
habitat in the Gulf of America (GOA)).
Public Comment Procedure
BOEM will accept comments via the internet commenting system
regulations.gov, or by regular U.S. mail. Comments submitted by other
means may not be considered. BOEM's strong preference is to receive
comments via regulations.gov, except when a comment contains
proprietary information. Comments should include full names and
addresses of the individual submitting the comment(s). Before including
personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that your
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be
made publicly available. While you can ask BOEM in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying information from public review, BOEM
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Even if BOEM withholds
your information in the context of this notice, your submission is
subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and if your
submission is requested under the FOIA, your information will only be
withheld if a determination is made that one of the FOIA's exemptions
to disclosure applies. Such a determination will be made in accordance
with the Department's FOIA regulations and applicable law.
Published Documents: The 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil
and Gas Leasing.
Draft Proposed Program: 1st Analysis and Proposal can be found at
https://www.boem.gov/National-Program.
Background Information
The development of a new National OCS Program is a key component of
the U.S. Department of the Interior's implementation of President
Donald Trump's Executive Order (E.O.) 14154, ``Unleashing American
Energy'' (January 20, 2025), and Secretary Burgum's Secretary's Order
3418, ``Unleashing American Energy'' (February 3, 2025). The E.O.
states that it is ``in the national interest to unleash America's
affordable and reliable energy and natural resources'' and that it ``is
the policy of the United States . . . to encourage energy exploration
and production on Federal lands and waters, including on the [OCS], in
order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States
as a global energy leader long into the future.''
As directed by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), BOEM
initiated the development of the 11th Program by issuing a Request for
Information and Comments (RFI) on April 30, 2025 (90 FR 17972). The
National OCS Program development process is consistent with Section 18
of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCS Lands Act), 43 U.S.C.
1344, and its implementing regulations, and includes the development of
a DPP, a Proposed Program, a Proposed Final Program (PFP), and
Secretarial approval of the 11th Program.
This Notice of Availability (NOA) announces the availability of the
DPP
[[Page 52997]]
for public review and comment. The DPP includes an analysis of all 27
OCS Planning Areas under Section 18, called the 1st Analysis, and the
Secretary's 1st Proposal of lease sales on the OCS for the 11th
Program. This 1st Proposal provides the basis for gathering information
and conducting analyses to inform the Secretary on which areas to
include in the 2nd Proposal for further leasing consideration in the
11th Program.
The 1st Proposal for the 11th Program would make more than 85
percent of the estimated technically recoverable OCS oil and gas
resources available for leasing during the five-year period following
program approval. The 1st Proposal considers three of the four OCS
Regions for leasing, including the program areas that are estimated to
have some of the most prospective oil and gas resources and potential
to provide beneficial effects for the U.S. economy and national
security from reduced oil imports and stable energy sources.
The 1st Proposal will enable the Secretary to receive information
necessary to conduct a thorough consideration of the section 18(a)(2)
factors and to perform the balancing analysis required by Section
18(a)(3) of the OCS Lands Act necessary to select the timing and
location of future leasing. Including areas in the 11th Program at this
stage incentivizes industry to look to the U.S. OCS when considering
long-term investment strategies in upstream energy development and
encourages industry to employ their worldclass geological and technical
expertise to assess and evaluate America's potential OCS oil and gas
resources. This will, in turn, further America's understanding of the
resources available on the OCS to meet national energy needs. The
Secretary's approach to the 1st Proposal does not prematurely foreclose
exploration planning, but fosters it, to allow for the potential
discovery of oil and gas on the OCS.
Allowing for the potential discovery of new oil and gas reserves on
the OCS is consistent with the Administration's policies, which seek to
achieve energy security and resilience by reducing U.S. reliance on
imported energy. Additionally, OCS oil and gas production benefits the
United States by helping to reinvigorate American manufacturing and job
growth and contributes to the U.S. gross domestic product. Many of the
jobs in the oil and gas industry earn a significant wage premium; these
employees have more purchasing power and can consume more goods and
services, which increases their standard of living and contributes more
to the economy.
Grounded in the above principles, and after careful consideration
of public input and the OCS Lands Act Section 18(a)(2) factors, the 1st
Proposal includes a schedule of 34 lease sales in three of the four OCS
Regions, including all or portions of 21 of the 27 OCS planning areas
(see Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2). This 1st Proposal does not include a
potential lease sale in the North Aleutian Basin Planning Area,
Washington/Oregon Planning Area, or any of the Atlantic planning areas.
After considering relevant information and analysis, the Secretary
intends to create a new South-Central GOA Planning Area, the boundaries
of which would align with GOA Program Area B. Additionally, the
Secretary has decided to remove the remaining areas within the current
Eastern GOA Planning Area from further leasing consideration in the
11th Program (see Figure 2).
Table 1--1st Proposal Lease Sale Schedule
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Count Sale year OCS region Program area
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1................. 2026 Alaska............. Beaufort Sea
Program Area.
2................. 2027 Pacific............ Southern California
Program Area.
3................. 2027 Pacific............ Central California
Program Area.
4................. 2027 Gulf of America.... GOA Program Area A.
5................. 2027 Alaska............. Cook Inlet Program
Area.
6................. 2028 Alaska............. Chukchi Sea Program
Area.
7................. 2028 Gulf of America.... GOA Program Area A.
8................. 2028 Alaska............. Cook Inlet Program
Area.
9................. 2029 Pacific............ Southern California
Program Area.
10................ 2029 Pacific............ Northern California
Program Area.
11................ 2029 Pacific............ Central California
Program Area.
12................ 2029 Gulf of America.... GOA Program Area A.
13................ 2029 Gulf of America.... GOA Program Area B.
14................ 2029 Alaska............. Cook Inlet Program
Area.
15................ 2030 Alaska............. Gulf of Alaska
Program Area.
16................ 2030 Alaska............. Shumagin Program
Area.
17................ 2030 Alaska............. Kodiak Program
Area.
18................ 2030 Gulf of America.... GOA Program Area B.
19................ 2030 Gulf of America.... GOA Program Area A.
20................ 2030 Alaska............. Cook Inlet Program
Area.
21................ 2030 Pacific............ Southern California
Program Area.
22................ 2030 Alaska............. Chukchi Sea Program
Area.
23................ 2030 Alaska............. Beaufort Sea
Program Area.
24................ 2030 Alaska............. Hope Basin Program
Area.
25................ 2030 Alaska............. Norton Basin
Program Area.
26................ 2030 Alaska............. Navarin Basin
Program Area.
27................ 2030 Alaska............. St. George Basin
Program Area.
28................ 2030 Alaska............. High Arctic Program
Area.
29................ 2031 Gulf of America.... GOA Program Area A.
30................ 2031 Alaska............. Cook Inlet Program
Area.
31................ 2031 Alaska............. Aleutian Basin
Program Area.
32................ 2031 Alaska............. Aleutian Arc
Program Area.
33................ 2031 Alaska............. Bowers Basin
Program Area.
34................ 2031 Alaska............. St. Matthew-Hall
Program Area.
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Including 21 of the 27 planning areas in this 1st Proposal allows
for flexibility in the future stages of the National OCS Program
development process, as well as the opportunity to seek additional
input and further coordinate with key stakeholders on those areas. The
Secretary is committed to enhancing coordination and collaboration with
other governmental entities--including Tribal governments, governors,
and other Federal agencies--and key stakeholders, to discover solutions
to multiple use challenges so oil and gas resources can be discovered
and extracted, critical military and other ocean uses can continue, and
our sensitive physical and biological resources are protected.
Authority: This NOA for the DPP for the 11th Program is published
in accordance with Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act and its implementing
regulations (30 CFR part 556).
Matthew Giacona,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2025-20760 Filed 11-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-C