US territories hit out at Trump plan to explore deep sea mining in the Pacific
US agency releases plan to lease millions of hectares of seabed off the coast of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam
TL;DR
- A US government proposal aims to lease 28 million hectares of seabed near the Mariana Trench for deep-sea exploration and mineral extraction.
- US territories, including the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, have expressed significant opposition and caution regarding the plan due to potential environmental risks.
- Environmental groups and representatives from the territories are calling for comprehensive scientific studies and explicit protections for marine resources.
- The proposed leases are part of a larger US strategy to control critical ocean minerals, in competition with China.
- Similar leasing processes are underway for American Samoa's seafloor, also facing opposition over environmental and economic concerns, including potential harm to the tuna industry.
- Legal action has been initiated by environmental groups in American Samoa and Hawaii to halt proposed seafloor permit auctions, citing inadequate evaluation of destructive impacts.
- Concerns include noise pollution harming marine mammals, destruction of seafloor ecosystems, and the release of toxic substances into the food web.