Nonprofit sues US as it pushes to auction massive tracks of water around American Samoa
Earthjustice says the leases would cover 33 million acres and could harm endangered species and critical habitat off American Samoa.
- On Tuesday, Earthjustice filed a federal lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to block planned deep-sea mining lease auctions off American Samoa, representing Fa'asao Amerika Samoa and the Conservation Council for Hawai'i.
- The U.S. government envisions leasing 33 million acres of seabed off American Samoa containing nickel, cobalt, and manganese that the administration argues are critical for national security and economic strength.
- Plaintiffs argue the project violates the Endangered Species Act, asserting it threatens critical habitats for five endangered sea turtle populations, four whale species, and coral reefs that sustain the Samoan people's cultural practices.
- Meanwhile, the Marine Minerals Administration published a proposed leasing notice on Monday for 69 million acres near the Northern Mariana Islands, with acting director Matt Giacona citing resource sovereignty as essential to the strategy.
- Nick Katkevich, an oceans campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity, called the project "too experimental and dangerous" for marine life, emphasizing that no commercial seabed mining operations have ever been established anywhere in the world.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Santa Maria Times
Independent EspañolSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — On Tuesday, an environmentalist legal group sued the U.S. government to stop the Trump administration's plans, announced last month, to auction sections of waters surrounding American Samoa to...
Jonesboro Sun
Goshen NewsNonprofit sues over US push to auction areas of water around American Samoa for potential mining
A legal environmental group is suing the U.S. government after the Trump administration announced plans to auction off sections of water around American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining. Earthjustice filed the lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service…
Nonprofit sues U.S. as it pushes to auction massive tracks of water around American Samoa
A legal environmental group sued the U.S. government on Tuesday to halt the Trump administration's plans announced last month to auction off massive sections of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining.
Associated Press News
Nonprofit sues US as it pushes to auction massive tracks of water around American Samoa
A legal environmental group is suing the U.S. government after the Trump administration announced plans to auction off massive sections of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining.
Earthjustice sues Trump over deep-sea mining plans in American Samoa
By Pacific Island Times News StaffFaʻasao Amerika Samoa and Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi, represented by the environmental law organization Earthjustice, today sued the U.S. government challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to launch deep-sea mining off the coast of American Samoa. The lawsuit targets the National Marine Fisheries Service’s conclusion that deep-sea mining “is not likely to adversely affect” any species protected by t…
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