Gov. David M. Apatang said the Commonwealth supports national efforts to secure critical mineral supplies but urged federal officials to address a wide range of environmental, economic and cultural concerns before advancing a proposed offshore mineral lease sale near the Northern Mariana Islands.
In comments submitted Oct. 16 to the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and its Marine Minerals Administration, Apatang said he recognizes and supports President Donald Trump's goal of reducing U.S. dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals used in technology, clean energy, transportation, health care and defense industries. However, he said national supply-chain objectives should not outweigh potential impacts on CNMI residents and the marine environment.
"The CNMI cannot evaluate the proposed lease sale solely on the basis of national mineral supply chain security objectives and dominance," Apatang wrote, adding that any decision should balance national interests with the well-being of CNMI residents and marine ecosystems.
The governor's comments were submitted in response to the proposed leasing notice for Pacific Minerals Lease Sale 2, or PACM-2, which would make portions of the Outer Continental Shelf around the CNMI available for critical mineral exploration and development.
Apatang noted that more than 65,000 public comments were submitted during an earlier federal information-gathering process and said all should be considered, particularly those expressing concerns about potential environmental harm from deep-sea mining. He said residents have voiced strong opposition to offshore mining and emphasized the longstanding cultural and personal connection indigenous island communities have with the ocean.
The governor also encouraged federal officials to pause the leasing process until two pending federal court cases in Hawaii have been resolved, arguing that proceeding before judicial review is completed could prove inefficient and costly.
In an 11-page letter, Apatang outlined numerous questions and recommendations for federal officials, including whether the CNMI would receive a share of lease revenues and what economic benefits would flow to the Commonwealth if mining activities move forward. He also called for enforceable commitments on local hiring, procurement, workforce development, and infrastructure investments.
The governor further requested additional environmental baseline studies addressing deep-sea coral communities, seamount ecosystems, fisheries, marine mammals, sediment plumes, underwater noise and other potential impacts. He proposed creating a CNMI Marine Minerals Environmental Monitoring Program funded by leaseholders.
Among other recommendations, Apatang sought fisheries compensation mechanisms, protections for cultural and traditional resources, stronger financial assurance requirements, emergency-response funding, safeguards against excessive concentration of lease ownership and restrictions on foreign control of strategically important mineral resources.
He also asked federal officials to clarify how offshore mineral activities would be coordinated with military operations in the Mariana Islands Range Complex and requested a formal framework for continued CNMI participation in future review and permitting processes.
Apatang said the CNMI remains willing to work with federal agencies to identify what he described as a responsible path forward, but stressed that residents should not bear disproportionate environmental, economic or infrastructure-related costs associated with offshore mineral development. He acknowledged that many residents favor a more direct alternative.
"The alternative, as voiced by many CNMI residents, is no mining at all," Apatang wrote
