ACCOMACK CO., Va. - The federal government is giving neighbors in Accomack and Northampton Counties an additional 30 days to weigh in on the possibility of mineral mining off Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
As WBOC previously reported, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is exploring the possibility of leasing more than 2,700 square miles off Virginia’s coast for mineral extraction. According to Virginia’s congressional delegation, it is the first time BOEM has considered holding a competitive lease sale for marine minerals in the Atlantic Ocean.
BOEM is seeking information about geological conditions, environmental sensitivity, archaeological resources, Tribal communities and cultural properties, potential effects on other ocean users, leasing terms, and whether offshore mining is technologically feasible.
The comment period was originally scheduled to close July 23. BOEM has now announced that it is extending the public comment period on its request for information and interest through Aug. 22, according to a Federal Registry filing set to be officially published on Friday and obtained by WBOC.
Anita Merritt, a local realtor and rental business owner, said she doesn't believe the proposal will keep people from visiting Chincoteague Island. However, she said the additional 30 days still isn't enough time for property owners who don't live on the island year-round.
"Thirty days isn't enough time here because a lot of our homeowners are not living here year-round," Merritt said. "They live in other areas. These are their vacation homes. It's enough time maybe to notify locals that are around, but not all the homeowners on the island."
Town Manager Mike Tolbert said much of the information on the proposal has not yet been released, which is why he and the town council are glad for the additional time.
"Our whole economy depends on nice, pristine beaches and a lot of wildlife and that sort of thing," Tolbert said. "People will be very apprehensive to try something offshore, which we can't be assured is going to be safe and work in the best interest of the county."
Many Chincoteague residents voiced concerns about environmental impacts. Maggy Aston, who owns Old Neptune’s Bookshop, said the extended comment period still isn't long enough to properly evaluate the proposal.
"Thirty days is not enough,” Aston said. “I just heard about this today, and I do read the papers, and I would need time to do some research as to what kind of heavy minerals they're mining and the impacts those minerals might have on the local environment.”
The extension comes after Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined six Democratic members of the U.S. House in asking BOEM to give the public more time to review the proposal.
The lawmakers argued that the original 30-day comment period did not give residents, local governments, Tribal communities, and affected industries enough time to study the proposal and provide meaningful feedback.
Now that the deadline has been extended, BOEM says comments already submitted do not need to be resubmitted.
Members of the public can submit comments through regulations.gov by searching for docket number BOEM-2026-0100. Comments may also be mailed to BOEM’s Office of Strategic Resources in Sterling, Virginia.
BOEM says all comments, information, and indications of commercial interest must be received by Aug. 22.
