The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced its intent to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement for proposed oil and gas lease sales in the Northern, Central and Southern California Planning Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf.
BOEM noted in a statement posted on its website that this is the initial step under the National Environmental Policy Act which initiates the process to analyze a representative California lease sale and inform decisions under the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
BOEM highlighted that a Notice of Intent will be published in the Federal Register today and pointed out that this will open a 30 day public scoping period, “during which BOEM invites input from tribal, state, and local governments, stakeholders, and the public”.
“Comments will help identify key issues, reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigation measures for consideration in the programmatic environmental impact statement,” BOEM said.
BOEM stated that the programmatic environmental impact statement will support the first Central and Southern California lease sales currently scheduled for 2027 under the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Program and, as appropriate, future California sales.
The representative lease sale would offer all unleased Outer Continental Shelf blocks in the federally managed portion of the planning area that may contain economically recoverable oil and gas resources, according to BOEM.
“This Notice of Intent reflects the administration’s commitment to responsibly evaluating offshore leasing as part of a broader strategy to lower costs, strengthen energy security, and support American jobs,” Acting BOEM Director Matt Giacona said in the statement.
BOEM noted in its statement that managing responsible offshore oil and gas development is a core BOEM responsibility under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
“Outer Continental Shelf activities generate substantial lease, rental, and royalty revenues, support jobs, and contribute to national energy security,” it added.
“It is important to note that the Notice of Intent itself does not decide whether a lease sale will occur; rather, it begins a multi-step process to gather input that will inform future decisions,” it continued.
“BOEM is also inviting qualified government entities to become cooperating agencies in the programmatic environmental impact statement process,” it went on to state.
In a statement posted on his X page on February 26, U.S. Congressman Mike Levin noted that the Trump administration “is taking steps to auction off California’s coast for offshore drilling” and criticized the move.
“Our coastline is not for sale,” Levin said in the statement.
In a statement posted on its site last month, BOEM announced the issuance of two Calls for Information and Nominations to solicit industry nominations and public comments on areas of interest for potential offshore oil and gas leasing in Southern California and Central California under President Trump’s 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Program.
“Publishing these calls in the Federal Register marks the first step in BOEM’s offshore oil and gas leasing process under 30 CFR 556.301,” BOEM noted in that statement.
“The calls invite industry input on potential areas for leasing and seek information from the public, tribal governments, and interested stakeholders on environmental conditions, socioeconomic considerations, and other relevant factors,” it added.
In that statement, Giacona said, “these Calls begin a careful analysis of two key areas with promising resource potential on the Outer Continental Shelf to help guide future decisions about potential leasing and development”.
A report published by the Congressional Research Service, which was posted on the congress.gov website on December 4, 2025, states that “no federal oil and gas lease sales have been held for the Pacific since 1984” but adds that “active leases with production remain in the Southern California planning area”.
To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
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