The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which has recently been renamed from the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA), announced that an auction for the sale of seafloor mining leases will take place on November 19. This auction will occur in an area near Rose Atoll, a protected marine sanctuary located east of American Samoa.
Auction Details and Target Areas
This area may contain significant amounts of polymetallic nodules, which could harm the ecosystems and biological species that have evolved around them. Mike Olson, the acting director of MMA, emphasized the importance of critical minerals in global competition, stating that environmental and cultural factors will be considered in the planning and development of this project.
Environmental Risks and Concerns
The NOAA research vessel, Okeanos Explorer, surveyed this area early last summer, providing data to assist bidders in identifying potential resources. However, the idea of deep-sea mining faces significant criticism from environmentalists and the oceanographic research community. Concerns include the potential inability of seafloor habitats to recover after mining.
Polymetallic nodules support ecosystems that are poorly studied, and if these nodules are removed, the habitat will change semi-permanently. These nodules require about two to three million years to regenerate.
Additionally, environmental advocates warn that extracting sediments containing heavy metals may lead to contamination of water and harm areas far from the site of activity. The lease areas where this activity will take place are located next to the Rose Atoll National Marine Monument, which is home to sea turtles, humpback whales, and other species.
The environmental legal organization Earthjustice has immediately filed a lawsuit to prevent the MMA auction, claiming that the OCSLA law does not permit leasing minerals in a non-corporate U.S. territory like American Samoa. This lawsuit also alleges that the government has failed to meet its obligations under international treaties.
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