The Department of the Interior (DOI) released a long-term offshore leasing schedule on Tuesday to boost American energy, standing in contrast with former President Joe Biden’s crackdown on offshore leasing for oil and gas.
In line with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the DOI announced a schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of America and Alaska’s Cook Inlet, aiming to hold four lease sales by next August and 10 offshore lease sales by 2028, according to the DOI. While the Biden administration clamped down on offshore oil and gas leasing, enacting a last-minute drilling ban across millions of acres and greenlighting a record-low leasing schedule, the Trump administration has moved to reopen federal lands and waters that were locked up.
“The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a landmark step toward unleashing America’s energy potential,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Tuesday. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re putting in place a bold, long-term program that strengthens American Energy Dominance, creates good-paying jobs and ensures we continue to responsibly develop our offshore resources.”
The first sale under the new law will be titled “Big Beautiful Gulf 1” and is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2025, according to the DOI. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will also publish the final notice at least 30 days before the sale, according to the DOI.
The agency noted that the Gulf of America and Alaska’s Cook Inlet both present great potential for expanding American energy and that the lease sales are expected to minimize dependence on foreign imports. About 14.5% of American oil was produced from wells in the Gulf of America in 2022, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Trump signed an executive order to “unleash American energy” and declared a national energy emergency on his first day back in the Oval Office. The OBBBA has also called for more domestic energy opportunities, allowing the DOI to “immediately resume quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales in compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act” and to hold oil and gas lease sales on available land across several states in the Midwest.
While the Trump administration has focused on boosting conventional energy sources like coal, oil and gas, the Biden administration went all-in with a green energy agenda, approving several massive offshore wind and solar projects. The Biden administration created hurdles for oil and gas both offshore and onshore, leasing a measly amount of acres all while gasoline prices soared. Notably, the Biden administration also froze liquified natural gas (LNG) exports and Biden blocked the major Keystone XL pipeline on his first day as president.
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