seabed mining

Officials from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will be meeting with the governors of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands this week.

In a webinar hosted by Right to Democracy and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, representatives from citizen groups discussed their efforts to reach community members during the 60-day comment period.

Last week, the Legislature passed a resolution opposing the federal government's plan to allow seabed mining near the Mariana Trench.

Agency representatives and members of the public will discuss a federal proposal to lease deep-sea areas near the Mariana Trench for mining critical minerals.

Gov. David M. Apatang and Lt. Gov. Dennis C. Mendiola are urging residents to participate in a federal review process that could determine the future of seabed mining in Commonwealth waters.

The new deadline for submitting comments on a plan to lease an area east of the CNMI for deep-sea mineral mining is Jan. 12, 2026.

The comment period ends this week for a plan to lease an area near the Marianas Trench for the extraction of critical minerals.

Residents and experts voiced concern over federal plans for seabed mineral exploration near the Marianas Trench.

Of the 107 comments submitted to the federal government as of Wednesday, 92 were against seabed mining near the Marianas Trench.

Guam and CNMI delegates have asked the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to extend the public comment period on proposed deep-sea mining in the Marianas