Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is an agency in the US Department of the Interior (DOI) responsible for managing development of U.S. Outer Continental Shelf energy, mineral, and geological resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way. The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is all submerged lands lying seaward of state coastal waters that are under US jurisdiction.

Public Notices with Open Comment Periods

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Past Public Notices with Closed Comment Periods

Offshore Wind

BOEM is the lead federal agency authorized to issue leases, easements, and rights of way to allow for renewable energy development on the OCS. The Portal’s Offshore Wind Projects page summarizes key information about offshore wind energy projects from Maine to North Carolina, including public comment opportunities. In addition, the Northeast Ocean Data Portal in consultation with BOEM maintains offshore wind project map layers in the Data Explorer, where project data can be viewed with other data on marine life and human dimensions.

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Marine Minerals

The OCS Lands Act provides BOEM the authority to manage minerals, such as sand and gravel used for coastal restoration. BOEM also identifies and oversees critical minerals found on the seafloor. BOEM is the only federal agency with the authority to lease marine minerals from the OCS. For more information, go to https://www.boem.gov/marine-minerals. BOEM public comment opportunities related to marine minerals in the northeastern US are posted on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal.