Matt Giacona said the initiatives are designed to ensure US supply chain security while maintaining environmental safeguards. Photo: 123rf/ dam@seaphotoart.com
The United States has taken major steps toward offshore critical minerals exploration in the Pacific, completing Area Identification for American Samoa and launching a Request for Information (RFI) and Interest for the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
The twin actions, announced from Washington last Monday, mark what the Bureau of Ocean Energy BOEM calls "significant progress" in assessing seabed mineral opportunities on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf in support of US manufacturing, national security, and economic resilience.
BOEM acting director Matt Giacona said the initiatives are designed to ensure US supply chain security while maintaining environmental safeguards.
"These initial steps-inviting public input in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and completing Area Identification offshore American Samoa-ensure that BOEM's decision-making is locally informed, environmentally sound, and done in a scientific manner," Giacona said.
The CNMI RFI, to be published in the Federal Register on 12 November opens a 30-day comment period to 12 December.
While not a decision to proceed with leasing, the RFI seeks public input on mineral resource potential, areas of environmental or cultural importance, and possible conflicts with fishing and maritime activity.
Following the comment period, BOEM will assess feedback and determine whether to move toward the next stages of offshore mineral planning, such as Area Identification or a proposed leasing notice.
Any future lease would require a full environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.
In American Samoa, the agency has already completed Area Identification-the first major milestone in BOEM's environmental review process for potential seabed mineral leasing.
Officials said the assessment will analyze potential economic benefits and environmental risks, including consultations under National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.
Principal deputy assistant secretary for Insular and International Affairs William Hague said the move could offer long-term benefits if managed responsibly.
"If done right, this could produce great economic return for our fellow Americans in the territory," Hague said.
In US, offshore mining, Area Identification is a formal planning step in which the BOEM delineates specific areas on the Outer Continental Shelf, or OCS, that will undergo further environmental review and consideration for potential commercial leasing.
Key aspects of Area Identification:
- Puspose: It determines which tracts appear appropriate for mineral development and warrant a detailed environmental analysis (such as an Environmental Assessment under NEPA).
- Process: The identification is based on considering available mineral resources, environmental data, input from stakeholders (including local governments, indigenous communities, and the public) received through a "Request for Information and Interest" (RFI), and industry nominations.
- Not a final decision: The completion of Area ID is explicitly not a decision to issue a lease or begin mining. It is a preliminary step that ensures future decisions are grounded in environmental analysis and public input.
- Subsequent steps: After Area ID, if BOEM decides to proceed, subsequent steps include publishing a Proposed Sale Notice and a Final Leasing Notice, followed by a competitive leasing process. On-lease activities such as exploration or development require separate reviews and approvals of detailed plans.
In essence, Area Identification is a critical filtering and planning phase that narrows down the vast OCS to specific, potentially viable areas for responsible resource development, while integrating environmental and stakeholder considerations from the outset.
CNMI agency urges 'informed and balanced' approach
On Saipan, CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality administrator Floyd Masga said BOEM's announcement underscores the need for the Northern Marianas to proceed with both optimism and caution.
Masga told Marianas Press that discussions about offshore mining had already raised "alarm bells" during the administration of the late governor Arnold I. Palacios.
He said offshore mining could create economic opportunities through new industries, high-paying technical jobs, and investment within US territories such as the CNMI and American Samoa.
"Expanded domestic production could strengthen regional economies and diversify employment opportunities beyond tourism and fisheries," Masga said.
He also pointed to potential national security gains, noting that domestic production could reduce U.S. dependence on China for critical minerals essential to defense, clean energy, and electronics.
At the same time, Masga stressed that the environmental and cultural stakes are high.
"Seabed mining can disturb fragile marine ecosystems and affect biodiversity," he warned. "Recovery from such disturbances can take decades-or even centuries."
Masga said offshore projects near traditional fishing grounds or culturally significant marine areas could also disrupt Indigenous practices, underscoring the importance of proper consultation and transparency.
"Inadequate consultation could lead to opposition or loss of trust in both local and federal processes," he said.
He added that offshore mining globally has struggled with regulatory and transparency issues. While the federal government's push to streamline permitting may speed development, it could also "create tension" with thorough environmental reviews under NEPA.
"Transparency and meaningful public participation are essential to maintaining credibility and public trust," Masga emphasised.
He said, ultimately, success will depend on responsible management and the inclusion of local and Indigenous perspectives.
"Careful environmental management, respect for local interests, and science-based decision-making must guide how these resources are developed," Masga said. "That's why it's important to have these discussions now."
The CNMI's public comment period on offshore mining runs through 12 December.
Feedback can be submitted through BOEM's official portal, with findings expected to guide the agency's next phase of seabed resource planning across the Pacific.
The offshore mining developments in the CNMI and American Samoa follow President Donald Trump's April 2025 Executive Order 14285, 'Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources', which calls for streamlining domestic seabed mineral exploration while maintaining transparency and environmental standards.
