With the theme “Hear the Voices of the Deep,” the Northern Marianas College hosted a community forum Wednesday to examine the risks of deep-sea mineral exploration near the Marianas Trench National Monument.
Organized by NMC’s Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services (CREES) in partnership with the CNMI Green Growth Initiative, the event drew residents, experts, and cultural leaders who warned of environmental, economic, and sovereignty threats tied to seabed mining.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has issued a request for information that could lead to offshore mineral leases near the Marianas Trench. The public comment period closes Dec. 12.
Forum panelists included marine ecologist Kelsey McCllelan, traditional navigator Cecilio Raikulipy, CNMI Coral Reef Restoration and Response Coordinator Kalani Aldan Reyes, and economist Clement “CJ” Bermudes Jr., executive director of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors. They called for a science-first approach and site-specific environmental impact assessments before any proposal advances.
Interim Dean of NMC-CREES Patricia Coleman urged the community to make its voice heard.
“If you care, you have power,” Coleman said. “If we don't want it, we need to say it now.”
Coleman added:“Let’s show the federal government and all the prospective businesses that want to mine in our waters, the waters that we are going to pass on to our children and grandchildren, that we care about this issue deeply. Because if we don't have the comments, if we don't put forward our substantive views on this issue, which directly impacts our culture, our food system, our economy, we may lose that opportunity.”
Review the proposal and submit comments at https://www.regulations.gov/document/BOEM-2025-0351-0001/.
