BOEM moves ahead on potential California offshore oil and gas lease sales

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today 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. This initial step under the National Environmental Policy Act 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.

“California households are facing an energy affordability crisis, and inaction is no longer an option,” said Acting BOEM Director Matt Giacona. “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.”

The Notice of Intent, which will be published in the Federal Register on Feb. 27, 2026, opens 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.

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.

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