American Samoa Activities

What's New?

On Nov. 10, 2025, BOEM announced the completion of Area Identification, or Area ID, for potential critical minerals leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore American Samoa.

The Area ID defines specific areas that will undergo further environmental analysis to assess their suitability for possible leasing. This step follows the publication of a Request for Information and Interest, or RFI, in the Federal Register on June 16, 2025 (90 FR 25369), which initiated a 30-day public comment period, later extended an additional 30 days at the request of the Governor of American Samoa.

The Area ID decision was informed by industry nominations, public comments, and feedback from local government and stakeholders. The Area ID is not a decision to lease, but a planning step that ensures future decisions are grounded in environmental analysis, public input, and intergovernmental coordination.

• Area ID Decision Memo, Associated Maps & Supporting Information
• American Samoa Area ID Block and Aliquot List
• American Samoa Area ID GIS Data

Information on the RFI can be found on the History tab located at the top of the page.

BOEM's Regulatory Pathway for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Minerals Leasing For American Samoa

1. Request for Information and Interest

   RFI for information and interest published in the Federal Register.

2. Identification of Areas

   Areas to be considered for leasing.

3. Environmental Analysis

   Analysis for the lease sale.

4. Proposed Leasing Notice

   Published in the Federal Register.

5. Leasing Notice

   Published in the Federal Register.

6. Competitive Lease Sale

Environmental Studies

BOEM funds numerous environmental studies that collect information about the marine environment to support future decisions concerning potential OCS minerals leasing and development. For more information, please visit https://www.boem.gov/environment/environmental-studies-pacific.

Some examples of current BOEM-funded studies related to seabed minerals in American Samoa include:  

• NT-21-01: Facilitating Interagency Partnerships in Support of Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization. In September 2024, BOEM partnered with NOAA, USGS, and the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute on an expedition to explore abyssal habitats in the eastern portion of the American Samoa EEZ  
• PC-22-07b: Maritime Heritage of the U.S. Pacific Islands, led by East Carolina University

Related Press Releases

• BOEM Extends Public Comment Period on Request for Information and Interest on Potential Minerals Lease Sale Offshore American Samoa (07-16-25)
• Interior Initiates First Step for Potential Mineral Lease Sale Offshore American Samoa (06/12/25)
• Interior Launches Process for Potential Offshore Mineral Lease Sale Near American Samoa | U.S. Department of the Interior (05/20/25)

Resources

• Discovering Offshore Critical Mineral Resources in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (BOEM’s Pacific critical minerals webpage)
• BOEM Critical Minerals (BOEM’s national critical minerals webpage)
• BOEM Resource Evaluation of Critical and Hard Offshore Mineral Programmatic Reference (RECHOMPR) (October 2023)

Click on the thumbnail below to view prospectus seabed mineral regions in the Pacific through the USGS viewer.

REQUEST for INFORMATION and INTEREST (RFI)

On June 12, 2025, the Department of the Interior announced its intent to publish a Request for Information and Interest (RFI) for commercial leasing for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) seabed critical minerals offshore American Samoa. The RFI published in the Federal Register on Monday, June 16, 2025, which initiated a 30-day public comment period. On Tuesday, July 15, BOEM extended the comment period until 11:59 p.m. ET on August 15 in response to a request from the Governor of American Samoa.    

The RFI requests information on and interest in and around the RFI Area, an area located near the eastern limit of the American Samoa OCS bordering the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone, northeast of the Manu’a Islands and Rose Atoll (roughly 70 nautical miles northeast of Rose Atoll). This area is approximately 18.1 million acres (73,222 km²) with an approximate water depth of 4,600 – 20,000 feet (1,400 – 6,000 meters) and lies entirely within the OCS of the United States Territory of American Samoa. The RFI Area is primarily abyssal plain, with scattered seamounts.

• Federal Register: Commercial Leasing for Outer Continental Shelf Minerals Offshore American Samoa-Request for Information and Interest
• RFI Area Map
• RFI Area OCS Blocks List
• RFI Area Shapefiles
• PRESENTATION: Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Minerals Leasing Process - American Samoa

Public Comments

The public comment period on the Request for Information and Interest (RFI) for commercial leasing for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) seabed critical minerals offshore American Samoa officially closed on August 15, 2025. BOEM analyzed information and suggestions received during the comment period. Comments can be viewed on the Regulations.gov docked at: https://www.regulations.gov/document/BOEM-2025-0035-0001/comment.