US Deep Sea Mining just took a major step forward in American waters. In this breaking news episode of Ocean Decoded Live, we break down the federal government's newly posted proposed leasing notice for a deep sea mining sale in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a notice published by the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) and set to appear in the Federal Register on August 18. We explain what this notice actually authorizes, why it doesn't guarantee a lease sale will happen, and what still has to happen before any mining activity could begin.
This story didn't come out of nowhere. Earlier this year, the administration opened a public comment period on the proposed CNMI deep sea mine and received an overwhelming response, with reports of over 66,000 comments against the project compared to a small handful in favor. Despite that response, the government reportedly doubled the size of the lease area under consideration, and representatives from Guam, American Samoa, and the CNMI have said they weren't properly consulted. Guam has already put its own moratorium on deep sea mining in place, while American Samoa and the CNMI continue working through the process.
We also dig into why this matters environmentally: past deep sea mining in zones like the Clarion-Clipperton Zone caused seafloor damage that still hadn't recovered three to four years later, and why recent conclusions from the International Seabed Authority's meeting in Kingston, Jamaica suggest deep sea mining may not even be economically viable given advances in battery technology. Plus, we spotlight the Miss Abyss Octopus campaign, a grassroots effort raising awareness against deep sea mining, and talk about why voting in the upcoming November elections matters for the future of US ocean policy.
Takeaways
The Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) has posted a proposed leasing notice for a deep sea mining sale in federal waters off the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
The notice is set to publish in the Federal Register on August 18, but posting it does not guarantee the lease sale or exploration will actually happen; a final notice must still follow, at least 30 days before any sale date.
A prior public comment period reportedly drew over 66,000 comments against the project versus a small handful in favour, yet the lease area under review was reportedly doubled afterward.
Representatives from Guam, American Samoa, and the CNMI say they weren't properly consulted; Guam has already enacted its own moratorium on deep sea mining.
Past deep sea mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone caused seafloor damage that still hadn't recovered three to four years later.
Recent ISA meeting conclusions in Kingston, Jamaica suggest deep sea mining may not be economically viable as battery technology reduces reliance on mined minerals like manganese, copper, and nickel.
The Miss Abyss Octopus campaign (Instagram) is a grassroots effort rallying public opposition to deep sea mining.
Viewers are encouraged to vote in November and stay informed as this story develops.
#OceanConservation #MarineBiology #SaveOurOceans #ProtectTheOcean #OceanAwareness #BluePlanet #ConservationMatters #ScienceForChange #SustainableOceans
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