Deep Seabed Mining Regulations

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Ocean Service (NOS) requests extension and revision of this currently approved information collection that contains requirements under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA). This collection is being revised pursuant to a final rule (RIN 0648-BN96) which will revise the DSHMRA regulations for exploration license and commercial recovery permits to add a new, alternative and optional procedure whereby interested and qualified U.S. citizens may submit a consolidated application to concurrently apply for a license and permit under DSHMRA. The final rule will allow an applicant who is seeking both an exploration license and a commercial recovery permit to proceed under either the information collection requirements for the current two-step sequential process where an applicant first applies for and, if eligible, obtains an exploration license and then applies for the commercial recovery permit; or, if the applicant is qualified, under the information collection requirements for the new consolidated application process where an applicant concurrently applies for the license and permit. Further, the information collection is being revised due to the likely future need to begin collecting permit applications, as well as annual reports related to permit compliance. This information collection is for the purpose of the receipt and maintenance of exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits required by the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA) (30 U.S.C. §§ 1401-1473). NOAA’s regulations at 15 CFR Part 970 (exploration licenses) and 15 CFR Part 971 (commercial recovery permits) govern the issuance and maintenance of DSHMRA licenses and permits. The NOAA Administrator approves or denies DSHMRA licenses and permits. The NOAA Administrator has delegated to the NOS Assistant Administrator and the NOS’ Office for Coastal Management responsibility for processing DSHMRA licenses and permits for the NOAA Administrator’s consideration and decisions. License and permit applicants must submit information to ensure that the applicant meets the DSHMRA licensing and permitting standards. Licensees and permittees are required to conduct monitoring and make reports, including annual reports regarding the licensee’s or permittee’s conformance to the schedule of activities and expenditures contained in the license or permit, and may request revisions, transfers, or extensions of licenses and permits. Information required for the issuance, revision, transfer, and extension of licenses and permits ensures that the Administrator is able to make determinations on the findings set forth in 30 U.S.C. 1413(c) and 30 U.S.C. 1415(a) and the factors set forth in the DSHMRA regulations. These findings and factors include that license and permit applicants have identified areas of interest for deep seabed hard mineral exploration and production; developed plans for those activities; have the financial resources available to conduct proposed activities; and have considered the effects of the activities on the natural and human environment. This information is used to determine whether licenses and permits should be issued, revised, transferred, or extended. Exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits under DSHMRA are only for activities by U.S. citizens on the seabed in areas beyond national jurisdiction. NOAA has received several applications recently and anticipates receiving additional applications. The licenses and permits are subject to annual reporting requirements and may be subject to extension requests (every five years for exploration licenses, or every twenty years for commercial recovery permits).

The latest form for Deep Seabed Mining Regulations expires 2029-01-31 and can be found here.

Annual Reports

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