§1411 Prohibited activities by United States citizens

Summary

U.S. citizens may not explore or commercially take hard minerals from the deep seabed unless they have official permission from one of three places: a U.S. license or permit under the law, a matching permit from a cooperating state, or a binding international agreement. There are exceptions for certain activities, including scientific research, harmless mapping or taking of measurements that do not change the seabed or harm the environment, building or testing equipment on shore (or tests that only recover incidental minerals), supplying machinery or services for already‑authorized projects, and non‑exploration work by the federal government. People who were already exploring before June 28, 1980, can keep going if they apply for a license within a reasonable time after the agency issues initial rules and until a license is granted or finally denied. The President or the agency head can order an immediate stop if needed to protect the environment or safety, and courts can review such orders. Filing on time gives an applicant priority, and if several applicants claim the same area the agency will decide fairly by looking at when work started, how continuous and extensive it was, and money spent. Citizens must not interfere with activities that are properly licensed and must respect other nations’ interests on the high seas.