The Trump administration is getting closer to selling offshore leases for critical minerals near the Northern Mariana Islands. This is part of a larger plan to develop mineral resources found on the seabed in U.S. waters.
On Monday, the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) published a Proposed Leasing Notice that outlines details for a potential mineral lease sale in federal waters off the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, known as CNMI.
The notice lists the offshore areas being considered and includes conditions for potential bidders. The MMA also finished an Environmental Assessment to evaluate the possible impacts of leasing in the region.
"Critical minerals are vital for America’s national security, economic power, and resource independence," said MMA Acting Director Matt Giacona. "The U.S. cannot rely on foreign countries for resources that are essential for our economy and defense."
Giacona noted that the agency aims to tap into the mineral potential of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf while ensuring that projects go through environmental reviews.
The CNMI is a U.S. commonwealth located in the western Pacific, east of the Philippines, and consists of 14 islands, including Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
This move comes after the federal government decided earlier this year to expand the area for environmental review around the Northern Mariana Islands significantly.
Over 65,000 public comments were submitted during an earlier information request as the government determined which areas should progress. This initiative has drawn interest due to the potential mineral resources, but environmental groups have raised concerns about the impact of deep-sea mining.
The Pacific seabed is believed to contain valuable minerals such as manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper, used in defense systems, electronics, and other advanced technologies. The Trump administration has prioritized developing domestic critical mineral supplies to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, particularly from China.
The CNMI proposal is part of a larger effort by the newly formed MMA to create an offshore minerals leasing program.
Last month, the agency also announced a proposed leasing notice for federal waters off American Samoa, which could lead to the first federal deep-sea mineral lease sale in U.S. waters. This proposal encourages successful bidders to hire local workers, work with local businesses, and utilize the Port of Pago Pago for their operations.
The MMA was established in July by merging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, reversing the separation of offshore leasing and safety oversight created after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.
The administration's push for offshore minerals extends beyond U.S. waters. The NOAA is moving forward with applications for exploration under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, focusing on polymetallic nodules in international waters, including the mineral-rich Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific.
Environmental organizations have strongly opposed the expansion of seabed mining, arguing that large-scale operations could harm deep-ocean ecosystems, which are not well understood.
Currently, the CNMI process is still a few steps away from actual mining.
The MMA emphasized that the Proposed Leasing Notice does not guarantee a lease sale will take place and does not authorize exploration or mineral collection. Any future development proposals will require further regulatory and environmental reviews.
A Notice of Availability for the proposed leasing notice is set to be published in the Federal Register on August 18.
If the MMA decides to proceed with a lease sale, a Final Leasing Notice must be published in the Federal Register at least 30 days before the sale.
Nevertheless, this action takes the Northern Mariana Islands further down the path of the federal leasing process, as Washington increases its focus on establishing a domestic seabed minerals industry in the Pacific.