Interior Launches Expansive 11th National Offshore Leasing Program to Advance U.S. Energy Dominance – U.S. Department of the Interior (.gov)

Report on the Proposed Expansion of U.S. Offshore Energy Leasing and its Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Department of the Interior has issued a Secretary’s Order to initiate the replacement of the 2024–2029 National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program. A new, more expansive 11th National OCS Program is proposed for the 2026–2031 period. This initiative aims to enhance national energy security and stimulate economic activity, directly engaging with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning energy, economic growth, and environmental stewardship.

Directive and Program Details

The order, titled “Unleashing American Offshore Energy,” directs the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to undertake a series of actions consistent with federal law. The primary objectives and scope of the new proposal are outlined below.

• Program Replacement: Terminate the restrictive 2024–2029 leasing program and establish a new program by October 2026.
• Expansive Scope: The Draft Proposed Program for 2026–2031 includes up to 34 potential offshore lease sales.
• Geographic Coverage: The proposed sales span 21 of the 27 existing OCS planning areas, covering approximately 1.27 billion acres. This includes:
  1. 21 areas off the coast of Alaska
  2. 7 areas in the Gulf of America
  3. 6 areas along the Pacific coast
• New Planning Area: The proposal includes the creation of a new South-Central Gulf of America planning area to further organize development.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The proposed program has significant implications for the nation’s progress toward key Sustainable Development Goals. The policy’s framework intersects with the following SDGs:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: By increasing domestic oil and gas production, the program aims to ensure a stable and secure energy supply, which is fundamental to Target 7.1 (ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services). This measure is positioned as a transitional strategy to meet national energy needs while cleaner technologies are scaled.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The long-term planning and investment required for offshore energy development are expected to create jobs and stimulate sustained economic activity. This directly supports Target 8.1 (sustain per capita economic growth) and Target 8.5 (achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all).
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Executing the leasing program necessitates significant investment in resilient infrastructure and technological innovation within the energy sector, aligning with the objectives of SDG 9 to build resilient infrastructure and promote sustainable industrialization.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action) & SDG 14 (Life Below Water): The expansion of offshore fossil fuel extraction requires rigorous environmental oversight. The procedural framework, mandated by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, includes comprehensive environmental analysis and public review for each proposed lease sale. These steps are critical for assessing and mitigating potential impacts on climate change and marine ecosystems, thereby addressing the concerns central to SDG 13 and SDG 14.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The development process for the leasing program actively involves multi-stakeholder engagement. By soliciting and incorporating feedback from state governments, industry representatives, civil society, and the public, the Department is employing a partnership-based approach to national policy formulation, reflecting the principles of SDG 17.

Procedural Framework and Public Consultation

The development of the 2026–2031 program is governed by a structured legal and public review process.

1. Legal Mandate: The action implements Executive Order 14154 and supplements Secretary’s Order 3418, which direct federal agencies to accelerate responsible energy development.
2. Statutory Basis: Under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Secretary of the Interior must balance national energy needs with economic, environmental, and social considerations.
3. Public Input: The current proposal was informed by over 86,000 comments received during an initial request for information in April 2025.
4. Future Consultation: A 60-day public comment period will begin when the proposal is published in the Federal Register on November 24, 2025. The final program will be determined after multiple stages of review and public input.

Current U.S. Offshore Energy Statistics

As of September 1, 2025, the national offshore energy portfolio includes the following:

• Active Leases: 2,073 active leases covering approximately 11.2 million acres.
• Production Contribution: Offshore production accounts for about 15 percent of the nation’s domestic oil output.
• Undiscovered Resources: The Outer Continental Shelf is estimated to hold approximately 68.8 billion barrels of oil and 229 trillion cubic feet of natural gas yet to be discovered.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article directly addresses energy policy, focusing on ensuring a “stable and secure energy supply” and meeting the “nation’s growing energy needs” by expanding offshore oil and gas production. While the energy source is not clean, the goal of securing a national energy supply connects to the core theme of SDG 7.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The policy’s stated objectives include economic benefits such as job creation and security. The article quotes officials emphasizing that the plan will ensure “our workers stay employed,” “protecting American jobs,” and will “open new opportunities for offshore investment and job creation.”

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The article discusses the management of national natural resources, specifically oil and gas reserves on the Outer Continental Shelf. It mentions the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which requires the government to consider “economic, environmental, and social factors” when managing these resources, linking it to the principles of sustainable resource management.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  This SDG is relevant by opposition. The article’s focus on “unleashing” and expanding the production of fossil fuels (oil and gas) runs counter to the global objective of combating climate change, which is central to SDG 13. The policy promotes activities that are primary drivers of greenhouse gas emissions.

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  The expansion of offshore drilling activities in areas like the coast of Alaska, the Gulf of America, and the Pacific coast has direct implications for marine ecosystems. Such activities pose risks of pollution and habitat disruption, making SDG 14 highly relevant to the potential environmental consequences of the policy.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights a multi-stakeholder engagement process. It mentions a “public request for information and comment” that received “more than 86,000 comments from stakeholders, states, industry representatives, and members of the public,” which reflects the collaborative approach promoted by SDG 17.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs

1. Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
   • Target 7.1: “By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.” The article’s aim to “boost United States energy independence and sustain domestic oil and gas production” to ensure a “stable and secure energy supply” aligns with the goal of providing reliable energy, although it relies on non-renewable sources.
2. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all…” The article explicitly supports this target by stating the policy is “protecting American jobs” and ensuring that “America’s offshore industry stays strong, our workers stay employed.”
3. Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
   • Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.” The article refers to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which mandates the preparation of a national program to manage offshore resources, considering “economic, environmental, and social factors.” This directly relates to the management of natural resources.
4. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.” The policy described is a national energy plan. By promoting a massive expansion of fossil fuel extraction, it represents a national policy that directly contradicts the integration of positive climate change measures.
5. Under SDG 14 (Life Below Water):
   • Target 14.2: “By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts…” The proposal to open up “21 areas off the coast of Alaska, seven in the Gulf of America, and six along the Pacific coast” for oil and gas leasing directly impacts marine and coastal ecosystems, making this target relevant to the potential negative consequences.
6. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The article’s mention of a public comment process that engaged “stakeholders, states, industry representatives, and members of the public” is a direct example of such a partnership in policy formation.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied

The article provides several quantitative and qualitative metrics that can be used as indicators to measure the implementation and scale of the discussed policy:

• Number of potential offshore lease sales: The proposal includes “as many as 34 potential offshore lease sales,” which is a direct measure of the expansion of drilling activities.
• Total area opened for leasing: The plan covers “approximately 1.27 billion acres,” indicating the vast scale of the program’s potential impact on marine environments (relevant to SDG 14).
• Volume of domestic oil and gas production: The article notes that “Offshore production accounts for roughly 15 percent of the nation’s domestic oil output.” Changes in this percentage can measure progress towards the goal of “American Energy Dominance.”
• Estimated undiscovered resources: The mention of “68.8 billion barrels of oil and 229 trillion cubic feet of natural gas yet to be discovered” serves as an indicator of the economic potential driving the policy (relevant to SDG 8 and SDG 12).
• Number of public comments: The fact that the Department “received more than 86,000 comments” is an indicator of public and stakeholder engagement in the policy-making process (relevant to SDG 17).
• Number of active leases and acreage: The current status of “2,073 active offshore oil and gas leases covering about 11.2 million acres” provides a baseline against which the expansion under the new program can be measured.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: doi.gov