Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) filed a 113-page regulation in the Federal Register on January 21, which activated a rule to accelerate permitting for deep-sea mining companies through the agency.
NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs is using a 1980s law passed by Congress that allows U.S. citizens to explore the seabed to mine minerals until an international regulatory regime is in place. The Congress authorized NOAA to issue exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits to U.S. citizens for deep-seabed mining activities. “Deep seabed mining is key to unlocking a domestic source of critical minerals for the United States,” Jacobs.
“This consolidation modernizes the law and supports the America First agenda by enabling U.S. companies to access these resources more quickly.” The new rules will allow companies to mine deep seas for minerals beyond the waters of the United States. The US is moving to issue licenses under its own laws instead of waiting for the International Seabed Authority to finalize global rules, which multiple countries view as a violation of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.