Trump’s fast-tracking of deep sea mining

Image: A remotely operated vehicle illuminates a massive deep sea sponge. by NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2015 Hohonu Moana.

Trump’s fast-tracking of deep sea mining prioritises corporate profit over environmental protection, Indigenous rights, and long-term regional well-being.

The Metals Company (TMC) have capitalised on a rapidly shifting U.S. policy landscape, submitting what it calls the first-ever consolidated application to mine polymetallic nodules in the Clarion–Clipperton Zone just one day after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) finalised new regulations streamlining deep sea mining permits into a single review process. The move was enabled by President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to accelerate access to seabed resources whilst overriding the International Seabed Authority’s remit to authorize and control the development of mineral related operations in the international seabed. 

Recent testimonies at the House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on deep-sea mining raised the serious concerns about Indigenous rights, stockpiling of minerals and metals, and the potentially irreversible impacts on deep-sea ecosystems.

”They want to rape and pillage our waters for a speculative industry with no proven success so a few CEOs can cash out before the damage is counted.” (source) … “Deep-sea mining is the giant fish threatening our island at its very foundation. Our unity in a self-determination vote is the net.” (source)

– Sen. William Parkinson (member of the Guam Legislature)

“Given the current surpluses in the nickel and cobalt markets, the lack of domestic refining capacity within the United States, and the current pace of technological development, the urgency of deep-sea mining for polymetallic nodules does not exist. Current proposals involve a significant amount of stockpiling of nodules due to lack of refining capacity and the cheapest place to stockpile a nodule is to leave it on the seafloor.” (source)

– Andrew Thaler, deep sea ecologist

To the indigenous people of American Samoa, the ocean is not just the backbone of our local economy, it is sacred … the American Samoan people are opposed to deep sea mining” … “First and foremost, our fishing stocks and sea floor need to remain intact. Fishing is our lifeblood, and if the technology is not ready or will harm the environment, we simply can’t proceed.” (source)

– Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, American Samoa

Learn more about deep sea mining via our member the Deep Sea Mining Campaign