<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata>
<idinfo>
<citation>
<citeinfo>
<origin>GIS Staff, BOEM Pacific Office, GIS Analyst</origin>
<title>Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Area ID Aliquots</title>
<geoform>vector digital data</geoform>
</citeinfo>
</citation>
<descript>
<abstract>On March 16th, 2026, BOEM announced the completion of Area Identification, or Area ID, for potential critical minerals leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The Area ID defines specific areas that will undergo further environmental analysis to assess their suitability for possible leasing. 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.For more information please visit https://www.boem.gov/cnmiWhat are aliquots?Aliquots are generated from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) blocks by subdividing each block into 16ths, and this further subdivision allows for more detailed boundary delineation in offshore energy leasing. These polygons are clipped to the Submerged Land Act Boundary and Continental Shelf Boundaries. The aliquots use a letter designation in addition to their parent protraction number and OCS block number (e.g., NK18-02, 6822F). A full OCS block is 4800 x 4800 meters, while an aliquot measures 1200 x 1200 meters. Smaller, clipped aliquots are found along the Federal/State OCS boundary and along UTM zone borders. Only the most recently published paper or PDF versions of the Official Protraction Aliquot Diagram (OPAD) should be used for official or legal purposes. These data were created in the applicable NAD83 UTM or NAD27 UTM/SPCS Projection and re-projected to GCS WGS84 (EPSG 4326) for management in BOEM's enterprise GIS. Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, these data are NOT an OFFICIAL record for the exact boundaries. These data are to be used for cartographic purposes only and should not be used to calculate area.</abstract>
<purpose>All aliquots of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Area ID</purpose>
</descript>
<status>
<progress>In work</progress>
<update>As needed</update>
</status>
<spdom>
<bounding>
<westbc>142.280778</westbc>
<eastbc>149.637008</eastbc>
<northbc>23.177778</northbc>
<southbc>12.208682</southbc>
</bounding>
</spdom>
<keywords>
<theme>
<themekt>ISO 19115 Topic Categories</themekt>
<themekey>oceans</themekey>
<themekey>planningCadastre</themekey>
</theme>
<theme>
<themekt>None</themekt>
<themekey>Bureau of Ocean Energy Management</themekey>
<themekey>Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</themekey>
<themekey>Area ID</themekey>
</theme>
</keywords>
<accconst>None</accconst>
<useconst>https://www.usa.gov/publicdomain/label/1.0/</useconst>
<ptcontac>
<cntinfo>
<cntorgp>
<cntorg>BOEM Pacific Office</cntorg>
<cntper>GIS Staff</cntper>
</cntorgp>
<cntpos>GIS Analyst</cntpos>
<cntaddr>
<addrtype>mailing and physical</addrtype>
<address>760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102 (CM 102)</address>
<city>Camarillo</city>
<state>California</state>
<postal>93010</postal>
<country>US</country>
</cntaddr>
<cntvoice>805-384-6305</cntvoice>
<cntemail>pacgis@boem.gov</cntemail>
</cntinfo>
</ptcontac>
<datacred>U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management</datacred>
<native>Esri ArcGIS 13.5.0.57366</native>
</idinfo>
<spdoinfo>
<direct>Vector</direct>
<ptvctinf>
<sdtsterm>
<sdtstype>GT-polygon composed of chains</sdtstype>
<ptvctcnt>194778</ptvctcnt>
</sdtsterm>
</ptvctinf>
</spdoinfo>
<metainfo>
<metd>20260311</metd>
<metc>
<cntinfo>
<cntorgp>
<cntorg>BOEM Pacific Office</cntorg>
<cntper>GIS Staff</cntper>
</cntorgp>
<cntpos>GIS Analyst</cntpos>
<cntaddr>
<addrtype>mailing and physical</addrtype>
<address>760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102 (CM 102)</address>
<city>Camarillo</city>
<state>California</state>
<postal>93010</postal>
<country>US</country>
</cntaddr>
<cntvoice>805-384-6305</cntvoice>
<cntemail>pacgis@boem.gov</cntemail>
</cntinfo>
</metc>
<metstdn>FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata</metstdn>
<metstdv>FGDC-STD-001-1998</metstdv>
<mettc>local time</mettc>
</metainfo>
</metadata>
