As directed by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, BOEM held Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258 on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022.
The reading of the bids was conducted via livestream. One bid was received on one block. The bid, in the amount of $63,983, was submitted by Hilcorp Alaska LLC. After a review under 30 CFR 556.516(b) to determine whether the public was receiving fair market value, the lease was awarded March 24, 2023.
| Lease Sale Chronology | |
| 2024 | |
| July 16 | The United States District Court for the District of Alaska remands without vacatur Lease Sale 258’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Lease Sale 258 Record of Decision (ROD) for the Department of the Interior to provide a supplemental EIS addressing identified deficiencies, and a modified ROD as warranted. The Court suspends Hilcorp’s lease pending a supplemental EIS from the Department. |
| 2023 | |
| Aug 25 | The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration releases their Biological Opinion of the potential effects of Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258 on threatened and endangered species and designated critical habitat listed under the Endangered Species Act. |
| Aug 10 | The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) releases their Biological Opinion of the potential effects of the BOEM Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258 on threatened and endangered species and designated critical habitat listed under the Endangered Species Act. |
| Mar 24 | The reviews for fair-market value and anti-trust considerations (see entry for Dec. 30, 2022, below) have been completed. Hilcorp Alaska LLC is awarded one lease for its bid placed during Lease Sale 258. The lease sale process is now concluded. |
| 2022 | |
| Dec 30 | As directed by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, BOEM holds Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258. One block receives a high bid of $63,983, submitted by Hilcorp Alaska LLC. That bid will now be reviewed to ensure the public receives fair market value before a lease is awarded, and additionally be reviewed by the Department of Justice for antitrust considerations. If a lease is awarded it will be posted to BOEM’s website when the review process is completed.
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| Dec 29 | Bidding closes for Cook Inlet OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258. |
| Nov 29 | The Final Notice of Sale and a Notice of Availability for the Record of Decision for Lease Sale 258 (see entry for Nov. 28, below) are published in the Federal Register. |
| Nov 28 | The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced it will offer approximately 958,202 acres off Alaska’s southcentral coast in a lease sale scheduled for Friday, Dec. 30. A link to the livestream will be posted to this page at 9 a.m. Alaska Time on that day. The reading of the bids will begin at 10 a.m. Alaska Time. Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258 will offer 193 blocks toward the northern part of Cook Inlet Planning Area for leasing. The blocks stretch roughly from Kalgin Island in the north to Augustine Island in the south. The Final Notice of Sale (FNOS) and a copy of the Record of Decision (ROD) affirming the sale are available below. The FNOS and a Notice of Availability for the ROD will be published Tuesday, Nov. 29, in the Federal Register.
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| Oct 28 | A Notice of Availability for the Lease Sale 258 Final Environmental Impact Statement (see entry for Oct. 20, below) is published in the Federal Register. |
| Oct 20 | BOEM announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing the potential environmental impacts of Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258. A Notice of Availability for the EIS will be published in the Federal Register in the coming days. |
| Sep 23 | A Notice of Availability for the Proposed Notice of Sale listed below (see entry for Sept. 21, 2022) is published in the Federal Register. |
| Sep 21 | The Alaska Region publishes a Proposed Notice of Sale for Lease Sale 258. Per 30 CFR 556.305, a Proposed Notice of Sale gives the state governor the opportunity to submit comments and recommendations to BOEM regarding the size, timing and location of the lease sale. |
| Aug 16 | President Joe Biden signs the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which directs BOEM to hold the Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258 by December 31, 2022. |
| May 11 | The Department of the Interior announced it will not move forward with Lease Sale 258 in the Alaska Region’s Cook Inlet due to lack of industry interest in leasing in the area. This sale was included in the 2017-2022 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. |
| 2021 | |
| Dec 13 | Comment period closes. Comments received during the comment period will be used to inform preparation of the final EIS. |
| Oct 29 | A Notice of Availability for the draft Environmental Impact Statement referenced below (see entry for Oct. 22) is published in the Federal Register. This publication initiates a 45-day comment period ending at 11:59pm ET on Monday, Dec. 13. During that time, comments may be submitted in two ways:
Comments received, whether via regulations.gov or through a virtual public hearing, will be used to inform preparation of the final EIS. |
| Oct 22 | BOEM publishes a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing the potential environmental impacts of proposed Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258. A Notice of Availability for the draft EIS will be published in in the Federal Register on Friday, Oct. 29. The Oct. 29 publication will initiate a public comment period open through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Dec. 13. During the comment period, any interested party may submit comment on the draft EIS through regulations.gov, the federal government's official commenting portal. A link to the regulations.gov commenting docket will appear on this page when the comment period opens. In addition, BOEM will host three virtual public hearings during the comment period. Schedule of Public Hearings
During the public hearings, any interested party may submit testimony and have it become part of the public record. A registration link for the public hearings will be posted to this page beginning Oct. 29. Comments received, whether via regulations.gov or through a virtual public hearing, will be used to inform preparation of the final EIS. |
| Aug 24 | Department of the Interior outlines next steps in leasing program. |
| Aug 16 | Department of the Interior confirms that it has appealed the preliminary injunction entered by the district court in Louisiana v. Biden. During the appeal, bureaus are directed to “proceed with leasing consistent with the district court’s injunction.” |
| Jun 15 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issues a nationwide preliminary injunction barring the Biden administration from implementing a pause on new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters. |
| Mar 24 | Thirteen states file suit (Louisiana v. Biden) in federal court challenging actions taken pursuant to President Biden’s Executive Order 14008. |
| Feb 23 | A notice formally withdrawing the public review period for Lease Sale 258 appears in the Federal Register. |
| Feb 04 | Pursuant to Executive Order 14008, BOEM cancels the public comment period on the Lease Sale 258 draft EIS. A notice formally announcing the withdrawal will be published in the Federal Register in the next few weeks. |
| Jan 27 | President Biden issues Executive Order 14008 (“Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad”), directing federal agencies to “pause new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of Federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices.” |
| Jan 15 | Notices of Availability for the Area Identification Decision and the draft Environmental Impact Statement, respectively, are published in the Federal Register, as referenced below. The comment period is scheduled to close Monday, March 1. |
| Jan 13 | BOEM publishes an Area Identification Decision and announces the availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement. The bureau will publish separate Notices of Availability for both documents in the Federal Register’s Reading Room tomorrow (Thursday, Jan. 14); and in the Federal Register itself Friday, Jan. 15. The Jan. 15 publications will initiate a 45-day public comment period on the draft EIS, which will close Monday, March 1. During this time, BOEM will provide more information, supporting documents and instructions for commenting via the Virtual Meeting Room linked below. Virtual meetings, accessible via the same URL, will be held on the following dates (all times Alaska Time): Feb. 9 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. |
| 2020 | |
| Nov 11 | Following the Sept. 10 – Oct. 13 scoping period, BOEM publishes the Final Scoping Report for proposed Cook Inlet OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 258. |
| Oct 13 | Comment period ends. |
| Sep 10 | The Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS and the Call for Information and Nominations referenced below are published in the Federal Register. |
| Sep 09 | BOEM announces it is seeking public comment on two documents — A Call for Information and Nominations (Call) and a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) — relating to a proposed 2021 oil and gas lease sale in the federal submerged lands under Cook Inlet, off Alaska’s southcentral coast. Both documents will be published in the Federal Register Thursday, Sept. 10. BOEM will receive public comment on both documents through 11:59 p.m. ET Oct. 13. During the public comment period, members of the public may visit the Proposed LS 258 Virtual Meeting Room to find out more about the proposed lease sale. The Virtual Meeting Room provides an opportunity for submitting questions about the Call and EIS, as well as directions on submitting comments for the public record. BOEM will also host two live, virtual public meetings during the comment period. These sessions will be held at 6:30 p.m. Alaska Time on Tuesday, Sept. 29; and at 6:30 p.m. Alaska Time on Thursday, Oct. 1. |