US EditionTMC Welcomes NOAA Rule Modernizing Deep-Seabed Mining Permits for U.S. Companies in the High Seas
NOAA's updated rules streamline deep seabed mining permits by allowing combined exploration and commercial recovery applications, reflecting advances in science and technology.
- The Metals Company on Wednesday welcomed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration final rule updating DSHMRA regulations that took effect Wednesday, January 21, 2026, modernizing U.S. deep-seabed permitting.
- Driven by decades of scientific advances, NOAA updated regulations to reflect environmental science, seafloor mapping and offshore mineral-collection technologies, implementing President-signed Executive Order 14285.
- The final rule creates a consolidated application option allowing qualified applicants to submit exploration and commercial recovery information together and use exploration-phase environmental, geological and engineering data in commercial applications.
- TMC USA said it intends to submit a consolidated application soon under NOAA's updated regulations, which align with its long-term strategy and support transition to commercial production.
- Importantly, the rule applies only to companies that have completed necessary exploration, environmental and technological development work, while outcomes remain subject to NOAA regulatory reviews and forward-looking statements and risk factors.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Trump Admin Poised to Speed Up Deep-Sea Mining Permits in International Waters
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) filed a 113-page regulation in the Federal Register on Jan. 21, which activated a rule to accelerate permitting for deep-sea mining companies through the agency. NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs is using a 1980s law passed by Congress that allows U.S. citizens to explore the seabed to mine minerals until an international regulatory regime is in place. Congress authorized NOAA to issue expl…
The United States is accelerating its deep-sea mining project. The Trump administration has simplified the process by which companies can obtain the right to exploit the seabed, reports Bloomberg. In a 113-page document published on January 21, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that companies wishing to mine the deep sea will be able to simultaneously apply for exploration licenses and… Read more In brief / Oc…
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