What's New?
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 will publish in the Federal Register on Monday, June 16, 2025. Publication will initiate a 30-day public comment period.
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.
Why is BOEM Publishing an RFI for Commercial Leasing in American Samoa?
Feedback obtained through the RFI will help inform BOEM’s assessment of industry interest, geologic conditions, potential environmental and cultural impacts, and the multiple uses of the identified area, such as navigation and fishing. This initial step marks the beginning of a comprehensive, multi-step planning process aimed at evaluating the economic and environmental aspects of potential OCS mineral leasing offshore American Samoa.
BOEM's Regulatory Pathway for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Minerals Leasing
Request for Information and Interest
RFI for information and interest published in the Federal Register.
Identification of Areas
Areas to be considered for leasing.
Environmental Analysis
Analysis for the lease sale.
Proposed Leasing Notice
Published in the Federal Register.
Leasing Notice
Published in the Federal Register.
Competitive Lease Sale
How to Submit Comments
Starting on June 16, 2025, BOEM will accept comments on the RFI via the following ways:
- You may submit written comments electronically using Regulations.gov, docket No. BOEM-2025-0035. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on July 16, 2025.
- You may also submit written comments by mail. Enclose your comment in an envelope labeled, “American Samoa RFI” addressed to Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Pacific Region, Office of Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Ste. 102, Camarillo, CA 93010. Comments must be postmarked no later than July 16, 2025.
BOEM invites input from the Indigenous Island community, ocean users, industry stakeholders, other government agencies, and the public, as well as indications of industry interest in the leasing of OCS minerals offshore American Samoa.
Engagement
BOEM will continue engagement and coordination with the Government of American Samoa regarding the potential for OCS mineral leasing, highlighting the importance of intergovernmental collaboration.
Throughout the leasing process, BOEM will consider available OCS mineral resources and environmental data and information, recommendations of the Government of American Samoa and other federal agencies, as well as other comments received during information-gathering activities before deciding whether to proceed with issuing leasing notices and holding a 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
- 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.
