Why It Matters

The Trump administration is rapidly advancing seabed mining off U.S. coasts, and Congress is sharply divided on whether the strategy will help secure critical minerals or risk environmental damage. A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report published August 28, titled "Seabed Mining on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf: Recent Developments," lays out how the administration is using Executive Order 14285 to expedite mineral leasing processes, while lawmakers push back from both directions. Some seek to accelerate the effort; others want to prohibit or pause it entirely.

The Big Picture

President Trump signed Executive Order 14285 on April 24, 2025, directing the Interior Secretary to identify critical minerals on the seabed and establish an expedited review process for leasing. The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) holds authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to lease non-energy marine mineral areas, and BOEM and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) merged into a new Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) to streamline operations.

Four potential lease sales are now in motion. BOEM initiated leasing for American Samoa after Impossible Metals submitted an unsolicited request, and a proposed lease sale is scheduled for November 19, 2026, targeting polymetallic nodules and ferromanganese crusts. For the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, BOEM published a proposed leasing notice on August 18, with a sale date set for December 16, 2026, covering polymetallic nodules, ferromanganese crusts, and polymetallic sulfides across five areas.

The Outer Continental Shelf extends from state waters to at least 200 nautical miles offshore and contains five types of seabed deposits holding critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, and rare earth elements. However, BOEM has not yet issued any leases for critical mineral activities, and the administration's push for expedited leasing runs up against existing OCSLA procedural requirements, including mandatory consultation with coastal states and territories and environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The Bottom Line

Congress faces competing bills that reflect the political split. H.R. 3803 would codify Executive Order 14285 into law, while H.R. 4018 and a Senate companion bill, S. 2860, would mandate actions on aspects of the order. Conversely, H.R. 664 would prohibit BOEM from conducting hardrock mineral leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf and block seabed mining, and H.R. 663 would prohibit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from issuing exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits. The U.S. lacks domestic processing facilities for seabed-extracted minerals, meaning even if leasing accelerates, the supply chain remains incomplete without further investment in onshore infrastructure.

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