Companies pushing to scrape the ocean floor for minerals using a directive President Donald Trump signed last week defended their plans at a House hearing on Tuesday where lawmakers clashed over the need to compete with China and the potential for environmental destruction.
The top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations blasted Trump for inking an executive order to fast-track permitting of underwater exploration and extraction ahead of the hearing.
“It’s unfortunate indeed that our president has already issued an executive order on this topic, even knowing that we had this hearing forthcoming, showing his disregard for transparency and public input,” said Rep. Maxine Dexter of Oregon.
But Republican leadership highlighted the potential economic and security benefits tied to encouraging exploration and mining of the seafloor for nodules that contain materials like nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese.
