Deep-sea mining approvals accelerated under new NOAA rules
Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) finalized a rule designed to streamline deep-sea mining activities by U.S. companies. Under the revised framework, the process for applying for commercial and exploration licenses is accelerated, cutting in half the number of environmental impact assessments and public hearings required.
The day after the rule was published, The Metals Company, a startup at the forefront of efforts to collect polymetallic nodules, submitted an application to operate in an area almost twice the size originally planned.
The new regulation could significantly shorten timelines for deep-sea mining in international waters. The Donald Trump administration has made it easier for companies to apply for permits, effectively opening the door to offshore exploration beyond national jurisdictions.
“Nearly 50 years after the birth of this industry, we are ready to move forward,” the company told the The New York Times. At the same time, opposition to deep-sea mining is intensifying. Environmental groups warn that the industry could pose serious risks to ecosystems that remain largely unexplored and exceptionally pristine.
Revised federal rules for deep-sea mining permits
Before a U.S. company can begin mining activities on seabed areas located outside national jurisdiction, it must obtain the appropriate federal authorizations. NOAA is responsible for issuing exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits to U.S. firms seeking to extract polymetallic nodules containing manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper from deep international waters. For seabed areas within U.S. jurisdiction, mining activities fall under the authority of the Department of the Interior.
On January 21, 2026, NOAA issued the final rule titled Deep Seabed Mining: revisions to regulations for exploration license and commercial recovery permit applications. According to NOAA spokesperson Kim Doster, the updated rules do not eliminate environmental safeguards but consolidate them into a single, more efficient process. She added that promoting deep-sea mining could reduce U.S. reliance on Chinese technology and help secure a stable supply of critical minerals.
International tensions over seabed governance
The Trump administration’s move comes amid growing international controversy. The United States is not a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and therefore does not participate in the International Seabed Authority, the UN body currently negotiating a global mining code. The new U.S. rule establishes a national approval framework based on the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980.
“If the Trump administration begins issuing these deep-sea mining permits, there is a real risk that it could undermine the functioning of the International Seabed Authority,” Emily Jeffers, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, told the New York Times.
Environmental organizations have sharply criticized the decision, arguing that deep-sea mining could cause irreversible harm to ocean biodiversity, destroy habitats, and stir up sediment plumes capable of suffocating marine life.
Offshore mineral mapping near American Samoa
NOAA’s National Ocean Service has also announced a new hydrographic survey project to map more than 30,000 square nautical miles of federal waters off American Samoa. The initiative is part of the U.S. Offshore Critical Minerals Mapping Plan led by the Department of Commerce, as outlined in an executive order signed by Trump.
Indigenous leaders from Pacific island communities living near proposed mining areas have expressed strong opposition to the project, citing environmental risks and threats to local livelihoods.