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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Bureau of Ocean Management should resist calls to open parts of the Outer Continental Shelf near 皇冠体育app官网平台n Samoa and the National Marine Sanctuary of 皇冠体育app官网平台n Samoa’s Muli膩va unit due to the immense risk operations could pose to wildlife, Indigenous communities, and nearby ecosystems. The National Wildlife Federation and Conservation Council of Hawai’i raised these concerns responsive to the on the issue.

"At this time, deep-sea mining technology is untested, and unproven," Lindsay Gardner, director of marine conservation for the National Wildlife Federation, and Jonnetta "Jonee" Leina'ala Peters, executive director of the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, said in the comment letter. "Until the risks of [deep sea mining] are better understood, we urge the U.S. government to continue to explore more sustainable pathways to meet its critical mineral demands, including reduction of demand for primary metals and the development of a resource efficient, materials circular economy. The National Wildlife Federation strongly urges BOEM to halt any deep-sea mineral leasing plans offshore 皇冠体育app官网平台n Samoa."

The comment letter follows the decision by National Wildlife Federation’s 52 state and territorial affiliates in June to pass a policy resolution calling on the International Seabed Authority and the U.S. government to enact a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-seabed mining until certain scientific, environmental, and social conditions are met, including upholding the sovereignty and cultural practices of potentially affected Indigenous communities.