The US Department of the Interior has announced the publication of a Request for Information and Interest to explore the potential for seabed mineral leasing offshore American Samoa.

The Request for Information, scheduled for publication in the Federal Register in the coming days, will launch a 30-day public comment period and mark the first formal step toward what could be the first mineral lease sale in federal waters in over 30 years.

The RFI, issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), seeks input from a wide range of voices—American Samoa’s Indigenous community, ocean users, industry, government agencies, and the public. Feedback will inform BOEM’s analysis of mineral potential, industry interest, environmental safeguards, cultural heritage considerations, and current ocean uses such as navigation and fishing.

The Department says any future lease sale will be subject to robust environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act and will comply with all applicable laws, including the Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act.

The development builds on the Department’s May 2025 action to evaluate new opportunities for critical mineral development as directed by President Trump’s Executive Order on Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources.

“This is what American leadership looks like,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “While other nations are racing to dominate critical mineral production, President Trump is making sure the United States leads from the front. We’re taking action to put America first, unlock our vast offshore mineral resources, and end our dangerous dependence on foreign supply chains.”

Interior oversees 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf—larger than the entire U.S. landmass.

The comment period ends July 16, 2025.