S.Amdt. 6411

SA 6411, submitted by Mr. HEINRICH, aims to add a section regarding seabed mining to bill S. 4784.

The amendment seeks to change and add the following:

• Regulations: It requires the Secretary of the Interior to make invitations to adjacent State and Territory Governors mandatory in certain activities. It also directs the creation of a seabed mining leasing program similar to the oil and gas leasing program, ensuring Territory Governors and Territories are included. If a significant local disaster occurs, the lease process must be delayed at the request of the affected Governor and can only restart upon agreement between the Secretary and that Governor.

• Moratorium: It establishes a temporary stop on reviewing, issuing, granting, or approving any new licenses, permits, or leases for mining minerals in the outer Continental Shelf or exclusive economic zone. This moratorium lasts until a specific report is submitted to the House and Senate committees.

• Study: It requires the Secretary to work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study seabed mining for critical minerals. This study must cover:

  • Technological feasibility and economic potential.
  • Information needed for habitat baselines at and around mining sites.
  • Potential social, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts, including cumulative effects and mitigation methods.

• Reporting: The findings of this study must be submitted as a report to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate within 3 years of the agreement with the National Academies.