# 2026-12600: Government Tests Interest in Virginia Seabed Mining Leases 2026-12600, Commercial Leasing for Outer Continental Shelf Minerals Offshore the Commonwealth of Virginia-Request for Information and Interest, is a Federal Register notice from Interior Department, Ocean Energy Management Bureau published 2026-06-23, effective 2026-06-23; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-30). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12600 - As of: 2026-06-30 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-12600 - Title: Commercial Leasing for Outer Continental Shelf Minerals Offshore the Commonwealth of Virginia-Request for Information and Interest - Type: Notice - Agencies: Interior Department; Ocean Energy Management Bureau - Citation: 91 FR 37417 - Published: 2026-06-23 - Effective: 2026-06-23 - Comments close: 2026-07-23 - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-06-30 ## In one line Government Tests Interest in Virginia Seabed Mining Leases ## Summary The government is asking people and companies if they're interested in leasing areas offshore Virginia to dig up minerals from the ocean floor. This is the first step and doesn’t guarantee any leases yet, but it could lead to future mining projects that might bring money and jobs. If you want to share your thoughts or show interest, you need to do it by July 23, 2026. ## Abstract On November 13, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) received an unsolicited request to lease hard minerals (herein "minerals") in an area on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore the Commonwealth of Virginia. After reviewing the request, BOEM decided to initiate the first step that could potentially lead to a lease sale by publishing this request for information and interest (RFI). This RFI is not a final decision to lease the minerals and does not prejudge any future Secretarial decisions concerning leasing offshore the Commonwealth of Virginia. This RFI requests information and comments on, and indications of interest in, the leasing of OCS minerals in and around the area identified in this RFI (hereby referred to as the RFI Area). BOEM will consider information and interest received in response to this RFI when considering whether to proceed with additional steps leading to the offering of OCS minerals for lease offshore the Commonwealth of Virginia. Those interested in providing comments should provide the information requested in section 6, "Types of Information and Comments Requested," of this RFI. Those interested in leasing in and around the RFI Area for OCS mineral development should provide the types of information described in section 7, "Requested Information for Indications of Interest." BOEM may or may not offer a lease for commercial OCS mineral development offshore the Commonwealth of Virginia after conducting consultations and environmental review, and after considering public comments. ## Effects PRIA read - Submit Interest by July 23, 2026: benefit, low. BOEM is asking companies and the public to submit comments or indications of interest in leasing offshore Virginia by July 23, 2026. Indications of interest must be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to BOEM's Marine Minerals Division in Sterling, Virginia; do not submit indications of interest… - Potential Leases Could Grant Mining Rights: mixed, medium. BOEM may proceed from this RFI to a competitive lease process that, if a lease is issued, would give the lessee the right to conduct preliminary activities and, with BOEM approval, to explore, develop, and produce minerals from the leased area. Only preliminary activities are allowed without prior… - Lease Payments, Royalties, and Terms Under Consideration: cost, medium. BOEM says it would apply a royalty to all marketable mineral production if it proceeds and is asking for input on royalty rates and schedules, rental rates, bid deposits, minimum bids, auction format, and whether to limit bidders to one lease area per sale. BOEM also notes primary lease terms could… - Large RFI Area Offshore Virginia; Local Uses Solicited: mixed, medium. The RFI Area covers about 1,769,196 acres (2,764 square miles), located between 3 and 63.5 miles offshore of the Delmarva Peninsula (Accomack and Northampton counties, Virginia), in water depths of about 30–410 feet and comprising 301 whole and 19 partial OCS lease blocks. BOEM requests information… ## Related documents - [2026-15953](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15953): Oil and Gas and Sulfur Operations on the Outer Continental Shelf-Revisions to the Requirements for Exploratory Drilling on the Arctic Outer…, 2026-08-06 - [2026-09208](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-09208): Risk Management and Financial Assurance for OCS Lease and Grant Obligations; Extension of Public Comment Period, 2026-05-08 - [2026-04517](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04517): Risk Management and Financial Assurance for OCS Lease and Grant Obligations, 2026-03-09 - [2026-17149](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17149): Agency Information Collection Activities; Application To Be Recognized as Qualified To Bid On, Hold, or Operate a Lease or Grant on the OCS…, 2026-08-21 - [2026-16839](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16839): Notice of Availability of the Proposed Leasing Notice for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Outer Continental Shelf Pacific…, 2026-08-18 - [2026-16840](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16840): Notice of Availability of Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams, 2026-08-18 ## Sources - [2026-12600 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/23/2026-12600/commercial-leasing-for-outer-continental-shelf-minerals-offshore-the-commonwealth-of) - [2026-12600 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-23/pdf/2026-12600.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-12596, Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12596) - [Next: 2026-12601, Draft FY 2026-2030 Strategic Plan for the U.S. AbilityOne Commission](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12601) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12600 (as of 2026-06-30).