January 12, 2026 — Federal officials from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of the Interior, are planning to visit Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in February to meet face-to-face with island residents and take public comments on deep-sea mining near the Mariana Trench.
Lester Carlson, director of the Bureau of Budget and Management Research, confirmed Monday that BOEM has requested meetings on Feb. 25 for Guam and Feb. 26-27 in the CNMI, though neither governor has finalized those dates.
“I think BOEM is set to visit,” Carlson told The Guam Daily Post. “It all depends on Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s and Gov. David Apatang’s availability.”
Both governors are scheduled to attend National Governors Association meetings in Washington, D.C., from Feb. 19-21, the week before the proposed visit.
“BOEM is a division of the Department of the Interior, so they’re well aware of the scheduling,” Carlson said. “All things being equal, both governors, if they return relatively quick from D.C., could be available for meetings that are requested the following week, but they have not confirmed yet.”