Trump Admin Poised to Speed Up Deep-Sea Mining Permits in International Waters

The new rules allow U.S. citizens to explore the seabed to mine minerals until an international regulatory regime is in place. Critics said it is still illegal.

Neil Jacobs, acting administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, speaks at NOAA's 2019 Hurricane Season Outlook news conference in Arlington, Va., on May 23, 2019. Win McNamee/Getty Images

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) filed a 113-page regulation in the Federal Register on Jan. 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. Congress authorized NOAA to issue exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits to U.S. citizens for deep-seabed mining activities.