The US Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), will publish a request for information and interest (RFII) to evaluate industry interest and gather public input that could inform a potential lease sale for minerals on the outer continental shelf off the coast of Alaska.
BOEM clarified that the RFII is an early step in its competitive leasing process and is not a decision to hold a sale.
"Alaska’s offshore holds strategic potential for the minerals that drive American industry, defence and next-generation technologies," said BOEM’s Acting Director Matt Giacona. "This request for information is a practical first step to gauge interest and identify areas where development could make sense for jobs, investment and national supply chains."
If a sale is ultimately held, it would be the first outer continental shelf minerals lease sale offshore Alaska.
The RFII invites all parties, including the public, companies, governments, and Alaska native tribes and other organisations to submit information about potential lease areas, uses and conflicts, and other factors that could inform BOEM’s planning.
Among other items, BOEM is seeking input on minerals of interest, potential tract configurations, and interactions with other ocean users.
The RFII area will encompass the Alaska outer continental shelf as a whole. BOEM said responses will help it narrow and shape any areas for further analysis.
The request will be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, January 29. That publication will open a 30-day window for input.
Members of the public may submit comments at www.Regulations.gov under docket number BOEM-2025-0318. Companies wishing to indicate commercial interest in specific outer continental shelf blocks should follow the instructions in the notice and submit to AlaskaLeaseSales@boem.gov.
Comments will be received until 23:59 Eastern Time on March 2, 2026.
