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Reuters
25-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US announces policy changes for offshore mineral development
June 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday announced policy changes it said would speed up the search and development of offshore critical minerals. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement are updating policies across all stages of development to "reduce delays, improve coordination and provide greater certainty for industry", the U.S. Interior Department said in a statement. The move is a part of the Trump administration's goal of reshaping a critical mineral industry dominated by China, the top U.S. economic rival. The policy update announced by the Interior Department follows an executive order by Trump in April aimed at boosting the deep-sea mining industry in an attempt to improve U.S. access to nickel, copper and other critical minerals used widely across the economy. For early-stage exploration, BOEM will apply existing streamlined environmental reviews whenever appropriate, and it plans to extend the duration of early-stage exploration permits to five years from three, the Interior Department said. The administration will minimize "unnecessary paperwork and compliance steps" to fast-track approvals for mapping, testing, and site development. BOEM will also start identifying potential areas for development without first issuing a formal request for information or forming a joint task force with state and federal agencies to speed up the leasing process, the department said. The U.S. Geological Survey will provide the bureaus with scientific data on critical mineral resources, as well as potential environmental impacts and hazards associated with seafloor development.
E&E News
21-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Interior mulls first offshore mineral lease in 30 years
The Interior Department on Tuesday said it's begun the process of evaluating a possible offshore mineral lease sale in U.S. waters off American Samoa, the first such auction of its kind in more than three decades. In doing so, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the agency was advancing President Donald Trump's vision for boosting domestic production and deep-sea mining and paving a path for possible future extraction of critical minerals from the outer continental shelf. 'Critical minerals are fundamental to strengthening our nation's resilience and safeguarding our national interests,' Burgum said in a statement. 'By providing opportunities to responsibly access deep-sea mineral resources, we are supporting both American economic growth and national security.' Advertisement But the Trump administration's move to accelerate mineral production across the nation — from the arid West to the bottom of the ocean — is fueling concerns about vulnerable species and pollution and drawing legal threats.
