WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has proposed holding the country's first offshore mineral lease sale for deep-sea mining in federal waters surrounding American Samoa, advancing plans to expand domestic supplies of critical minerals despite opposition from environmental groups and concern from Pacific communities.
The Marine Minerals Administration, part of the Interior Department, said this week it had issued a Proposed Leasing Notice outlining terms for a potential lease sale covering about 33 million acres of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf near American Samoa. The agency said publication of the notice begins the next phase of the leasing process but does not guarantee that a sale or any exploration activity will ultimately occur.
According to the agency, the proposal is intended to support access to minerals considered important for U.S. manufacturing, defense and energy supply chains. Acting Marine Minerals Administration Director Matt Giacona said the proposed terms also require any successful lessee to make reasonable efforts to hire workers from American Samoa, use local businesses where practical and make use of the Port of Pago Pago.
If the process moves forward, the agency must complete additional pre-sale requirements, including publication of a final leasing notice in the Federal Register at least 30 days before any auction. Officials said the proposal is accompanied by environmental analysis and will be subject to further review.
The proposal follows the Trump administration's broader effort to accelerate development of domestic critical mineral resources. Federal officials have argued that increasing access to minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese would help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers, particularly China, and strengthen industrial and national security supply chains.
Environmental organizations and community groups have criticized the plan, saying deep-sea mining could damage poorly understood marine ecosystems and affect waters that hold cultural and ecological significance for American Samoa. More than 40 countries have called for a moratorium, precautionary pause or ban on commercial deep-sea mining while additional scientific research is conducted, according to environmental advocates and international discussions on the issue.
The proposed lease areas are located in federal waters offshore from American Samoa, with portions extending to deep ocean environments thousands of feet below the surface. Federal officials have acknowledged that scientific knowledge of these ecosystems remains limited and said any initial lease would authorize only preliminary exploration activities, including mapping, surveying and biological sampling rather than commercial extraction.
The administration has not announced a final decision on whether the lease sale will proceed, and the proposal remains subject to the remaining regulatory process and public review.
