WASHINGTON – On September 3 and 4, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will host virtual, public meetings on a new set of proposed rules for deep sea mining. These rules would enable the U.S. to unilaterally grant licenses to companies to explore and mine international waters, circumventing the international body responsible for regulating the high seas. The NOAA hearings will give members of the public the opportunity to provide feedback on these new rules. 

“The U.S. is poised to unleash an environmental tragedy,” said Jeff Watters, vice president of external affairs at Ocean Conservancy. “Deep sea mining will, without a doubt, inflict irreparable damage on ocean life, the global fishing industry and the climate–at a huge financial cost and for minimal returns. Given that one of NOAA’s core missions is to study and protect the ocean, it’s deeply troubling to see the agency charged with the task of opening the floodgates to a destructive industry like seabed mining.” 

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