Lynnhaven River NOW Welcomes Extension of BOEM Offshore Minerals Comment Period, Urges Virginians to Oppose Seabed Mining Off Virginia’s Coast
Virginia Beach, VA – July 27, 2026 – Lynnhaven River NOW (LRNow) welcomes the Department of the Interior’s decision to extend the public comment period on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Request for Information and Interest (RFI) regarding a proposal for mineral leasing off Virginia’s coast. The public now has until August 22, 2026, to submit comments through the federal comment portal.
While the extension is an important step for public engagement, LRNow remains strongly opposed to any effort to move forward with offshore mineral leasing, exploration, or extraction off Virginia’s coast. This proposal is different from routine dredging for navigation or beach nourishment and deserves a much higher level of scrutiny.
“The extension gives Virginians more time to speak up, and we hope they use it to make one thing clear: seabed mining has no place off Virginia’s coast,” said Dylan Mason, Public Policy Manager at LRNow.
Many Virginia and Maryland cities are already voicing concerns that echo the region’s past opposition to offshore oil and gas development. LRNow’s opposition is also grounded in its own 24 years of experience in restoring the Lynnhaven River after decades of water quality degradation.
“At LRNow, we know how difficult, expensive, and time-intensive it is to restore a waterway after it has been harmed,” Mason said. “The lesson from the Lynnhaven River is clear: prevention is far easier and more responsible than trying to repair damage after the fact.”
LRNow encourages Virginians to submit comments opposing offshore mineral leasing, exploration, and extraction off Virginia’s coast and urges BOEM to take seriously the ecological, economic, cultural, and operational concerns being raised.
“The burden should be on BOEM and the applicant to prove this activity is safe, compatible, and necessary,” Mason said. “We should not have to accept the risks without overwhelming proof that our waters, fisheries, and coastal economy will be protected.”
Members of the public can submit comments to BOEM here:
More resources: