Interior Announces Postponement of Public Scoping Meetings on Virginia Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sale

The U.S. Department of the Interior, through the U.S. Geological Survey, today released the draft 2025 List of Critical Minerals and a report that outlines a new model for assessing how potential supply chain disruptions could affect the U.S. economy.

The Department of the Interior is rolling out a long-term schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of America and Alaska’s Cook Inlet, as directed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). By committing to a predictable sale schedule, the Department is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand American energy production and strengthen U.S. energy independence.

The Department of the Interior is launching a full review of offshore wind energy regulations to ensure alignment with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and America’s energy priorities under President Donald J. Trump. This effort includes reviewing the Renewable Energy Modernization Rule, as well as financial assurance requirements and decommissioning cost estimates for offshore wind projects, to ensure federal regulations do not provide preferential treatment to unreliable, foreign-controlled energy sources over dependable, American-made energy.