April 28, 2026 — A new agency for offshore energy development that’s seen its workforce shrink in recent years — and is targeted for funding cuts next year by the Trump administration — will be taking on a quickly growing portfolio of responsibilities.
The Marine Minerals Administration unveiled this month by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will oversee not only a larger oil and gas leasing program but also will help set up and police the nation’s first-ever offshore mining industry.
The agency merges two existing bureaus within the Interior Department that managed energy development and safety in federal waters. While the offshore regulators together once employed 1,500 full-time staffers under the Biden administration, that’s since fallen to about 1,000 employees this year, according to the Office of Personnel Management data. The Trump administration has proposed further reducing the staff down to 874 people.