Interior Department Orders New Five-Year Offshore Leasing Plan, Replacing Biden-Era Program

The Department of the Interior has announced a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s offshore oil and gas leasing framework, directing the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to terminate the Biden administration’s five-year (2024–2029) program and replace it with an expansive 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program by October 2026.

The announcement, formalized through Secretary’s order “Unleashing American Offshore Energy,” signals a dramatic shift in federal offshore energy policy, proposing offshore oil and gas lease sales in Alaska, Gulf of America, and California.

The proposal encompasses as many as 34 potential lease sales across 21 of 27 existing Outer Continental Shelf planning areas, covering approximately 1.27 billion acres—including 21 areas off Alaska’s coast, seven in the Gulf of America, and six along the Pacific coast.

“Offshore oil and gas production does not happen overnight. It takes years of planning, investment, and hard work before barrels reach the market,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “The Biden administration slammed the brakes on offshore oil and gas leasing and crippled the long-term pipeline of America’s offshore production. By moving forward with the development of a robust, forward-thinking leasing plan, we are ensuring that America’s offshore industry stays strong, our workers stay employed, and our nation remains energy dominant for decades to come.”

The proposal includes the creation of a new administrative planning area, the South-Central Gulf of America, and represents a significant expansion from what the administration characterized as “the smallest offshore leasing plan ever published.”

The Biden administration’s five-year program, finalized in December 2023, scheduled only three lease sales—the lowest number in any five-year plan since the government began publishing them in 1980. All were planned in the Gulf region (Gulf of Mexico, now called the Gulf of America), with none in Alaska, the Atlantic, or Pacific offshore areas. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom called the plan “idiotic.”

“This reckless attempt to sell out our coastline to his Big Oil donors is dead in the water. Californians remember the environmental and economic devastation of past oil spills. For decades, California has stood firm in our opposition to new offshore drilling, and nothing will change that. We will use every tool at our disposal to protect our coastline. It’s interesting that Donald’s proposal doesn’t include the waters off Mar-a-Lago,” Newsom said in a statement.

The Trump Administration’s initiative follows extensive public engagement, with the Department receiving more than 86,000 comments from stakeholders, states, industry representatives, and members of the public after publishing a request for information in April 2025. The proposal will undergo a 60-day public comment period beginning when it is published in the Federal Register on November 24.

“Offshore oil and gas development requires long-term vision, steady policy, and the confidence for companies to invest in American energy. For years, that confidence was undercut by the Biden Administration’s failed leasing policies,” said Jarrod Agen, Executive Director of the National Energy Dominance Council. “By putting a real leasing plan back on track, we’re restoring energy security, protecting American jobs, and strengthening the nation’s ability to lead on energy for decades to come.”

The announcement coincides with BOEM’s Proposed Notice of Sale for Big Beautiful Gulf 2, the second offshore lease sale under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, scheduled for March 11, 2026. That sale will offer approximately 15,000 unleased blocks covering about 80 million acres in the Gulf of America, with blocks located between 3 and 231 miles offshore in water depths ranging from 9 feet to more than 11,100 feet.

As of September 1, 2025, BOEM manages 2,073 active offshore oil and gas leases covering approximately 11.2 million acres. Offshore production currently accounts for roughly 15 percent of domestic oil output. The Outer Continental Shelf is estimated to contain about 68.8 billion barrels of oil and 229 trillion cubic feet of natural gas yet to be discovered.

The proposal marks the first of three iterations that will be developed before final approval of the 2026–2031 program. Inclusion of a planning area in this proposal does not guarantee it will appear in the final program or be offered for lease, as each sale will undergo additional review, environmental analysis, and public comment opportunities.

The first sale in the Big Beautiful Gulf series is scheduled for a public bid reading on December 10, 2025, featuring a 12.5% royalty rate for both shallow and deepwater leases across roughly 80 million acres.

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