Northern Mariana Islands and Guam criticize US deep-sea exploration plan
The authorities of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam have criticized the US government's plan to lease 28 million hectares of seabed near the Mariana Trench for deep-sea mineral exploration. The Guardian reports.
Lease rights auction
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, part of the Department of the Interior, has published a proposal to hold an auction for lease rights to 28 million hectares of seabed near the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
Such rights would allow companies to explore the seabed and potentially extract deposits of critical minerals — polymetallic nodules. They can be used in the production of batteries, electronics and defense technologies. The plan emerged amid competition between President Donald Trump's administration and China for control of critical ocean minerals.
The Northern Mariana Islands are a self-governing US commonwealth, while Guam is an unincorporated territory of the United States.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Position of local authorities
Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands David Apatang said his administration would consider the proposal “with particular caution.” He acknowledged the strategic importance of critical minerals but stressed the need to conduct thorough baseline scientific research, ensure full transparency and provide clear protection for marine resources. The territorial government plans to review the terms over 60 days.
The office of the governor of Guam said that national security considerations should not mean that Pacific residents must accept environmental risks before they have been fully studied. Guam Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio stated his unequivocal opposition to deep-sea mining in the region and expressed distrust of assurances that extraction would not begin after lease rights are granted.
Disputes over other areas
Several weeks earlier, the United States began the process of leasing 12.4 million hectares of seabed off American Samoa. The contracts are planned to be awarded in November. American Samoa Governor Pula Nikolao said his government also opposes deep-sea mining because untested methods could harm the territory's tuna industry.
On August 19, environmental organizations from American Samoa and Hawaii initiated legal proceedings against the US government, seeking to halt the proposed permit auction around the islands. The plaintiffs argue that federal agencies failed to assess the potentially devastating impact of mining on marine ecosystems, including risks posed by equipment, seabed sediments and loud noise during exploration.
