Citing a “core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep sea science and technology and seabed mineral resources, President Trump today issued an Executive Order on Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources requiring a series of actions including the following to be taken by federal entities by Monday, June 30:
- Expedite NOAA process for reviewing and issuing seabed mineral exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits in international waters
- Expedite Interior Dept. process for reviewing and approving permits and granting leases for seabed mineral exploration, development, and production in U.S. waters
- Review and revise Defense and State Dept. regulations to support domestic seabed mineral processing capabilities and explore the use of procurement and financing authorities including the Defense Production Act to support domestic processing
- Submit a report identifying private sector interest and opportunities for (1) seabed mineral resource exploration, collection, and environmental monitoring in U.S. waters, international waters, and waters of nations interested in partnering with U.S. companies on seabed mineral development; and (2) seabed mineral resource processing capacity in the U.S. or on U.S.-flagged vessels
- Develop a plan for mapping priority areas of the seabed, with a priority on U.S. waters
- Engage with key partners and allies to offer support for seabed mineral resource exploration, removal, processing, and environmental monitoring in areas within their national jurisdiction, including by seeking scientific collaboration and commercial development opportunities for U.S. companies, and by developing a prioritized list of countries for engagement
- Submit a report on the feasibility of an international benefit-sharing mechanism for seabed mineral resource extraction and development in international waters
- Submit a report on the feasibility and potential benefits or drawbacks of using the National Defense Stockpile for physical or virtual storage of materials derived from seabed minerals and entering offtake agreements for them
- Submit a report on financing tools to support domestic and international seabed mineral resource exploration, extraction, processing, and environmental monitoring
Following the Order, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans & Atmosphere Erik Noble said that President Trump is “paving the way for supply chain resilience and a thriving domestic manufacturing industry,” adding that the United States “will lead the world in deep sea mineral extraction, and NOAA is the tip of the spear as we partner with federal agencies and private industry to support the discovery and collection of critical minerals on the sea floor.”
Additionally, the Interior Dept. announced the release of a U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet highlighting prospective global locations of seabed minerals.