HR4018-119

1. Findings Congress finds the following: The United States has a core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep sea science and technology and seabed mineral resources. The United States faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control. Vast offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and energy resources. These resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future, and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals. The United States also controls seabed mineral resources in one of the largest ocean areas of the world. Our Nation can, through the exercise of existing authorities and by establishing international partnerships, access potentially vast resources in seabed polymetallic nodules, other subsea geologic structures, and coastal deposits containing strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements, which are vital to our national security and economic prosperity. Our Nation must take immediate action to accelerate the responsible development of seabed mineral resources, quantify the Nation’s endowment of seabed minerals, reinvigorate American leadership in associated extraction and processing technologies, and ensure secure supply chains for our defense, infrastructure, and energy sectors. It is the policy of the United States to advance United States leadership in seabed mineral development by— rapidly developing domestic capabilities for the exploration, characterization, collection, and processing of seabed mineral resources through streamlined permitting without compromising environmental and transparency standards; supporting investment in deep sea science, mapping, and technology; enhancing coordination among executive departments and agencies with respect to seabed mineral development activities described in this Act; establishing the United States as a global leader in responsible seabed mineral exploration, development technologies, and practices, and as a partner for countries developing seabed mineral resources in areas within their national jurisdictions, including their exclusive economic zones; creating a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals derived from seabed mineral resources to support economic growth, reindustrialization, and military preparedness, including through new processing capabilities; and strengthening partnerships with allies and industry to counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources and to ensure United States companies are well-positioned to support allies and partners interested in developing seabed minerals responsibly in areas within their national jurisdictions, including their exclusive economic zones.

2. Strategic seabed critical mineral access Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and in consultation with the Secretary of State and Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, shall expedite the process for reviewing and issuing licenses for exploration and permits for commercial recovery under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.). In expediting the process described in paragraph (1), the entities described in that paragraph shall ensure efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness for United States companies. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall establish an expedited process for reviewing and approving permits for prospecting and granting leases under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.). The expedited process established under paragraph (1) shall ensure efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness for United States companies. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Commerce, and heads of other relevant Federal agencies, and in cooperation with commercial and other nongovernmental organizations, shall develop a plan to map priority areas of the seabed United States outer Continental Shelf, to include extended areas of the outer Continental Shelf, such as those with abundant or accessible seabed mineral resources, to accelerate data collection and characterization. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior— shall identify which critical minerals may be derived from seabed mineral resources; and in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Energy, determine which critical minerals derived from seabed mineral resources are essential for applications such as defense infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Interior, and Secretary of Energy, shall engage with key partners and allies to offer support for seabed mineral resource exploration, extraction, processing, and environmental monitoring in areas within the jurisdictions of such key partners and allies, including by— seeking scientific collaboration and commercial development opportunities for United States companies; and developing a prioritized list of foreign countries for engagement. The Secretary of State shall determine whether an entity is a key partner or ally for the purposes of this Act, based on factors such as— existing agreements with the United States; alignment with strategic interests of the United States; and participation in joint initiatives. The Secretary of State shall notify the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of the Interior, and Secretary of Energy of any determination made under subparagraph (A). Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act— the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Energy, and in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that identifies private sector interest in and opportunities for seabed mineral resource exploration and mining on the outer Continental Shelf, in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and in areas within the jurisdiction of a foreign country that expresses interest in partnering with United States companies with respect to seabed mineral resource development; and the Secretary of the Interior, jointly with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Commerce, and Secretary of Energy, shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report regarding the feasibility of an international benefit-sharing mechanism for seabed mineral resource extraction and development that occurs in an area beyond the jurisdiction of any country.

3. General provisions Nothing in this Act shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof. This Act does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

4. Definitions In this Act: The term commercial recovery has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403). The term critical mineral has the meaning given the term in section 7002(a)(3) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a)(3)). The term exploration has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403). The term lease has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331). The term mineral means— a critical mineral; uranium; copper; potash; gold; and any other element or compound the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council determines appropriate. The term outer Continental Shelf has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331). The term processing includes the concentration, separation, refinement, alloying, and conversion of minerals into usable forms. The term prospecting has the meaning given the term geological and geophysical (G&G) prospecting activities in section 580.1 of title 30, Code of Federal Regulations (or a similar successor regulation). The term seabed mineral resource means a mineral-bearing material located in the seabed of the outer Continental Shelf, including— a polymetallic nodule; a cobalt-rich ferromanganese crust; a polymetallic sulfide; a heavy mineral sand; and a phosphorite. The term United States company has the meaning given the term United States citizen in section 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403).