Government Seeks Interest in Mariana Islands Seabed Mining
Published Date: 11/11/2025
Notice
Summary
The government is asking companies and the public if they're interested in mining minerals offshore near the Northern Mariana Islands. This is the first step before any actual leasing happens, and they want your thoughts by December 12, 2025. If things move forward, it could open up new business opportunities and jobs in the area, but no money changes hands yet.
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Input sought on rental, royalty, and bidding terms
BOEM requests public comment on rental rates, whether rental payments should be required in the first five years or start in year six (per 30 CFR 581.27), on royalty rates and schedules (BOEM intends to issue leases with an ad valorem royalty and a minimum royalty equivalent to rental per 30 CFR 581.30), and on bid deposit, minimum bids, and auction format (sealed or ascending).
Potential new jobs and business opportunities
BOEM says that if leasing proceeds it could open new business opportunities and jobs in and around the Northern Mariana Islands area, but this RFI is only an early step and is not a decision to lease. BOEM will consider responses before deciding whether to proceed to leasing steps.
Two-stage lease contraction proposal
BOEM is considering lease contraction clauses with a two-stage contraction scheduled around years 7 and 14 that would reduce leased acreage after specified periods, and asks for comments on preferred acreage and timing for each stage. BOEM also expects to offer one or more large lease areas initially.
RFI Area scale, depth, and mineral prospectivity
The RFI Area covers about 35,483,044 acres (143,595 km2) with water depths approximately 3,700–25,100 feet (1,130–7,650 meters) and is identified as a prospective region for ferromanganese crust and nodules by USGS. Respondents may nominate specific blocks from the 6,502 whole or partial OCS lease blocks listed for consideration.
Environmental, cultural, and fisheries impacts invited for comment
BOEM requests information on potential environmental, socioeconomic, cultural, and fisheries impacts in and around the RFI Area and intends to coordinate with the Government of the CNMI, Indigenous Peoples (Chamorro and Carolinian), and multiple Federal agencies during planning and environmental analysis. BOEM seeks spatial data, fisheries gear/seasonal use information, and recommendations to avoid or mitigate conflicts.
RFI opens; deadline to respond
BOEM published a Request for Information and Interest and is asking for comments and indications of interest by December 12, 2025. You can submit comments via regulations.gov or email Pacific.Region@boem.gov and businesses can submit indications of interest by email or mail as described in the notice.
Confidentiality and public-record rules for submissions
BOEM will post comments on regulations.gov unless labeled confidential and qualifying for FOIA Exemption 4; identities of those indicating interest are public record but BOEM treats nominations of specific areas as proprietary and will not link an area to a party publicly. Indigenous Peoples may designate historic resource information confidential under Section 304 of the NHPA.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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