The White House has begun reviewing a NOAA proposal for advancing commercial deep-sea exploration of critical minerals.
The Office of Management and Budget is considering the proposed rule that would revise regulations for exploration licenses and permits for mining mineral-rich swaths of the ocean floor.
NOAA didn’t respond to requests for details about the proposal. The agency, while charged with regulating seabed mining, had little engagement on the issue prior to the Trump administration, which made mineral extraction a national priority.
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The rule is tied to President Donald Trump’s April executive order, which tasked NOAA with evaluating and issuing permits for industry bids for mining mineral-rich nodules on the ocean floor.
