Unleashing America’s Offshore
Critical Minerals and Resources
Executive
Orders/April 24, 2025
·
The
United States also controls seabed mineral resources in one of the largest
ocean areas of the world.
·
Access
potentially vast resources in seabed polymetallic nodules; other subsea
geologic structures; and coastal deposits containing strategic minerals such as
nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements
· Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), consistent with applicable law.
By
the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Background. The United States has a core national
security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep sea science
and technology and seabed mineral resources. The United States faces
unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable
supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control. Vast
offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and energy resources. These
resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future, and
reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals. The United
States also controls seabed mineral resources in one of the largest ocean areas
of the world. Our Nation can, through the exercise of existing authorities and
by establishing international partnerships, access potentially vast resources
in seabed polymetallic nodules; other subsea geologic structures; and coastal
deposits containing strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper,
manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements, which are vital to our national
security and economic prosperity.
Our
Nation must take immediate action to accelerate the responsible development of
seabed mineral resources, quantify the Nation’s endowment of seabed minerals,
reinvigorate American leadership in associated extraction and processing
technologies, and ensure secure supply chains for our defense,
infrastructure, and energy sectors.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States
to advance United States leadership in seabed mineral development by:
(a) rapidly
developing domestic capabilities for the exploration, characterization,
collection, and processing of seabed mineral resources through streamlined
permitting without compromising environmental and transparency standards;
(b) supporting
investment in deep sea science, mapping, and technology;
(c) enhancing
coordination among executive departments and agencies (agencies) with respect
to seabed mineral development activities described in this order;
(d) establishing
the United States as a global leader in responsible seabed mineral exploration,
development technologies, and practices, and as a partner for countries
developing seabed mineral resources in areas within their national
jurisdictions, including their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ);
(e) creating
a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals derived from seabed
resources to support economic growth, reindustrialization, and military
preparedness, including through new processing capabilities; and
(f) strengthening
partnerships with allies and industry to counter China’s growing influence over
seabed mineral resources and to ensure United States companies are
well-positioned to support allies and partners interested in developing seabed
minerals responsibly in areas within their national jurisdictions, including
their EEZs.
Sec. 3. Strategic Seabed
Critical Mineral Access.
Within 60 days of the date of this order:
(a) The
Secretary of Commerce shall:
(i) acting through the Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and in consultation with the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, expedite the process for
reviewing and issuing seabed mineral exploration licenses and commercial
recovery permits in areas beyond national jurisdiction under the Deep Seabed
Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), consistent with applicable
law. The expedited process, consistent with applicable law, should ensure
efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness for American companies;
(ii) in
coordination with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Energy,
and in consultation with the heads of other relevant agencies, provide a report
to the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Chair of the
National Energy Dominance Council, and the Vice Chair of the National Energy
Dominance Council that identifies:
(A)
private sector interest and opportunities for seabed mineral resource
exploration, mining, and environmental monitoring in the United States Outer
Continental Shelf; in areas beyond national jurisdiction; and in areas within
the national jurisdictions of certain other nations that express interest in
partnering with United States companies on seabed mineral development; and
(B)
private sector interest and opportunities for polymetallic nodule and other
seabed mineral resource processing capacity in the United States or on United
States-flagged vessels; and
(iii) in
consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Interior, and
the heads of other relevant agencies, and in cooperation with commercial and
other non-governmental organizations, develop a plan to map priority areas of
the seabed, such as those with abundant or accessible undersea resources, in
order to accelerate data collection and characterization, prioritizing areas
within the United States Outer Continental Shelf.
(b) The
Secretary of the Interior shall:
(i) establish an expedited process for reviewing
and approving permits for prospecting and granting leases for exploration,
development, and production of seabed mineral resources within the United
States Outer Continental Shelf under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43
U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), consistent with applicable law. The expedited process,
consistent with applicable law, should ensure efficiency, predictability, and
competitiveness for American companies; and
(ii) identify
which critical minerals may be derived from seabed resources and coordinate
with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of
Energy to indicate which critical minerals are essential for applications such
as defense infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy.
(c) The
Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the
Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Energy, shall:
(i) engage with key partners and allies to offer
support for seabed mineral resource exploration, extraction, processing, and
environmental monitoring in areas within the national jurisdictions of those
partners and allies, including by seeking scientific collaboration and commercial
development opportunities for United States companies, and by developing a
prioritized list of countries for engagement; and
(ii) provide
a joint report to the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Chair
of the National Energy Dominance Council, and the Vice Chair of the National
Energy Dominance Council on the feasibility of an international benefit-sharing
mechanism for seabed mineral resource extraction and development that occurs in
areas beyond the national jurisdiction of any country.
(d) The
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy
shall:
(i) provide a report to the Assistant to the
President for Economic Policy, the Chair of the National Energy Dominance
Council, and the Vice Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council that
addresses the feasibility and any potential benefits or drawbacks of using the
National Defense Stockpile for physical or virtual
storage of materials derived from seabed polymetallic nodules and of entering
offtake agreements for these materials;
(ii) in
consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, review and revise existing
regulations, consistent with applicable law, to support domestic processing
capabilities for seabed mineral resources, and explore the use of grant and
loan authorities, the Defense Production Act (50
U.S.C. 4501 et seq.), and other procurement and financing authorities for this
purpose; and
(iii) ensure
the Strategic and Critical Materials Board of Directors considers seabed
mineral resource developments when recommending a strategy for ensuring a
secure supply of materials designated as critical to national security to the
Secretary of Defense under the Strategic and Critical
Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.).
(e) The
Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance
Corporation, the President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the
Director of the Trade and Development Agency, and the heads of other relevant
agencies shall provide a joint report to the Assistant to the President for
Economic Policy, the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, and the
Vice Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council that identifies tools to
support domestic and international seabed mineral resource exploration, extraction,
processing, and environmental monitoring.
Sec. 4. Definitions. As used in this order:
(a) The
term “mineral” means a critical mineral as designated pursuant to 30 U.S.C.
1606(a)(3), as well as uranium, copper, potash, gold, and any other element or
compound as determined by the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council.
(b) The
term “seabed mineral resources” means polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich
ferromanganese crusts, polymetallic sulfides, heavy
mineral sands, phosphorites, and other mineral-bearing materials.
(c) The
term “processing” includes the concentration, separation, refinement, alloying,
and conversion of minerals into usable forms.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be
construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the
authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head
thereof; or
(ii) the
functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to
budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This
order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the
availability of appropriations.
(c) This
order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers,
employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD
J. TRUMP
THE
WHITE HOUSE/April 24, 2025.