Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB664 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	I
2	2	119THCONGRESS
3	3	1
4	4	STSESSION H. R. 664
5	5	To prohibit certain mining activities on the deep seabed and Outer
6	6	Continental Shelf, and for other purposes.
7	7	IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8	8	JANUARY23, 2025
9	9	Mr. C
10	10	ASE(for himself, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. NORTON, and Ms. TLAIB) intro-
11	11	duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
12	12	Resources
13	13	A BILL
14	14	To prohibit certain mining activities on the deep seabed
15	15	and Outer Continental Shelf, and for other purposes.
16	16	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
17	17	tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
18	18	SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
19	19	This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Seabed Pro-4
20	20	tection Act’’. 5
21	21	SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN MINING ACTIVITIES ON 6
22	22	DEEP SEABED AND OUTER CONTINENTAL 7
23	23	SHELF. 8
24	24	(a) F
25	25	INDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 9
26	26	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
27	27	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2
28	28	•HR 664 IH
29	29	(1) As determined by the United Nations, most 1
30	30	recently in its Sustainable Development Goals re-2
31	31	port, our world’s oceans are at great risk from a 3
32	32	number of factors, including atmospheric change, re-4
33	33	source extraction, and pollution. 5
34	34	(2) The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sus-6
35	35	tainable Development, launched by the 2015 UN 7
36	36	Summit in New York established Sustainable Devel-8
37	37	opment Goal 14 (SDS 14), to conserve and 9
38	38	sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine re-10
39	39	sources. Target 2 of SDS 14 commits States to 11
40	40	sustainably manage marine ecosystems to avoid sig-12
41	41	nificant adverse impacts and strengthen their resil-13
42	42	ience. 14
43	43	(3) The international marine scientific and pol-15
44	44	icy consensus is that deep seabed mining presents a 16
45	45	major risk to the marine environment, including— 17
46	46	(A) the direct loss of unique and eco-18
47	47	logically important species; 19
48	48	(B) large sediment plumes that will nega-20
49	49	tively affect ecosystems well beyond the actual 21
50	50	mining sites; 22
51	51	(C) noise pollution that will cause physio-23
52	52	logical and behavioral stress to marine species; 24
53	53	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
54	54	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3
55	55	•HR 664 IH
56	56	(D) likely contamination of commercially 1
57	57	important species of food fish; and 2
58	58	(E) likely negative impacts on carbon se-3
59	59	questration dynamics and deep-ocean carbon 4
60	60	storage. 5
61	61	(4) The United Nations Convention on Biologi-6
62	62	cal Diversity, 15th Conference of Parties, Decision 7
63	63	15/24 encourages member States to ensure that, be-8
64	64	fore deep seabed mineral exploitation is permitted, 9
65	65	the related impacts on the marine environment and 10
66	66	biodiversity are sufficiently researched, the risks to 11
67	67	the marine ecosystem are sufficiently understood, 12
68	68	and sufficient regulation and conditions are imposed 13
69	69	to ensure that exploitation does not cause harmful 14
70	70	effects to the marine environment and biodiversity. 15
71	71	(5) The 2022 United Nations Environment 16
72	72	Programme Financial Initiative report on deep sea-17
73	73	bed mining states that the financing of such activi-18
74	74	ties is not consistent with Sustainable Blue Economy 19
75	75	Finance Principles. 20
76	76	(6) There is currently insufficient scientific in-21
77	77	formation on the deep sea and related marine eco-22
78	78	systems to fully and accurately assess the risks and 23
79	79	impacts of deep seabed mining activities. 24
80	80	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
81	81	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4
82	82	•HR 664 IH
83	83	(b) PROHIBITION OFCERTAINMININGACTIVITIES 1
84	84	ONDEEPSEABED ANDOUTERCONTINENTALSHELF.— 2
85	85	(1) D
86	86	EEP SEABED.—Notwithstanding any pro-3
87	87	vision of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources 4
88	88	Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), no license, permit, or 5
89	89	other authorization may be issued for exploration or 6
90	90	commercial recovery. 7
91	91	(2) O
92	92	UTER CONTINENTAL SHELF .—Notwith-8
93	93	standing any provision of the Outer Continental 9
94	94	Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.), no li-10
95	95	cense, permit, or other authorization may be issued 11
96	96	for exploration, development, or production of a 12
97	97	hardrock mineral on the Outer Continental Shelf. 13
98	98	(3) E
99	99	XCEPTION FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH .— 14
100	100	Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to the 15
101	101	issuance of a license, permit, or other authorization 16
102	102	to carry out scientific research activities. 17
103	103	(c) A
104	104	SSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF 18
105	105	M
106	106	ININGACTIVITIES ONDEEPSEABED ANDOUTERCON-19
107	107	TINENTALSHELF.— 20
108	108	(1) I
109	109	N GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 21
110	110	the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec-22
111	111	retary shall seek to enter into an agreement with the 23
112	112	National Academies of Science, Engineering, and 24
113	113	Medicine to conduct a comprehensive study of the 25
114	114	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
115	115	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 5
116	116	•HR 664 IH
117	117	environmental impacts of mining activities on the 1
118	118	deep seabed and Outer Continental Shelf. 2
119	119	(2) S
120	120	UBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT .—The Sec-3
121	121	retary shall submit to the appropriate Congressional 4
122	122	committees a report regarding the findings of the 5
123	123	study described in paragraph (1). 6
124	124	(3) C
125	125	ONTENTS.—The study described in para-7
126	126	graph (1) shall include the following: 8
127	127	(A) A characterization of ecosystems— 9
128	128	(i) on the deep seabed and Outer Con-10
129	129	tinental Shelf; 11
130	130	(ii) in the overlying water columns of 12
131	131	the deep seabed and Outer Continental 13
132	132	Shelf; and 14
133	133	(iii) on seamounts and hydrothermal 15
134	134	vents. 16
135	135	(B) An assessment of the potential impacts 17
136	136	associated with mining activities on the deep 18
137	137	seabed and Outer Continental Shelf on— 19
138	138	(i) habitats and species on the deep 20
139	139	seabed and Outer Continental Shelf and in 21
140	140	the overlying water columns of the deep 22
141	141	seabed and Outer Continental Shelf, in-23
142	142	cluding— 24
143	143	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
144	144	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 6
145	145	•HR 664 IH
146	146	(I) an approximate quantification 1
147	147	of the spatial extent and timescale of 2
148	148	such impacts; and 3
149	149	(II) the potential for the recovery 4
150	150	of such habitats and species from 5
151	151	such impacts; 6
152	152	(ii) the capacity of deep sea and open 7
153	153	ocean processes and ecosystems to seques-8
154	154	ter greenhouse gases; 9
155	155	(iii) users of the marine environment, 10
156	156	including— 11
157	157	(I) commercial and recreational 12
158	158	fisheries; 13
159	159	(II) recreational users; 14
160	160	(III) aquaculture operations; and 15
161	161	(IV) developers of subsea infra-16
162	162	structure; and 17
163	163	(iv) indigenous peoples and cultures 18
164	164	linked to marine species and the marine 19
165	165	environment. 20
166	166	(C) An assessment of the potential impacts 21
167	167	of sediment plumes from disturbance of the 22
168	168	deep seabed and Outer Continental Shelf and 23
169	169	collector vessel discharge on pelagic species and 24
170	170	food webs. 25
171	171	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
172	172	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 7
173	173	•HR 664 IH
174	174	(D) An approximate quantification of the 1
175	175	greenhouse gas emissions associated with min-2
176	176	ing activities on the deep seabed and Outer 3
177	177	Continental Shelf, including such emissions that 4
178	178	may result from the alteration of the biology, 5
179	179	geology, or chemistry of the sediment on or the 6
180	180	overlying water column of the deep seabed and 7
181	181	Outer Continental Shelf. 8
182	182	(E) An assessment of the viability of alter-9
183	183	natives to the use of minerals found on the deep 10
184	184	seabed and Outer Continental Shelf, includ-11
185	185	ing— 12
186	186	(i) developing a greater capacity for 13
187	187	and promoting the reuse and recycling of 14
188	188	such minerals in circulation; 15
189	189	(ii) developing and promoting the use 16
190	190	of substitute minerals and materials that 17
191	191	have fewer or less severe environmental im-18
192	192	pacts associated with such use; and 19
193	193	(iii) developing methods to reduce the 20
194	194	environmental impacts of terrestrial min-21
195	195	ing practices and other similar initiatives. 22
196	196	(d) D
197	197	EFINITIONS.—In this section: 23
198	198	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
199	199	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 8
200	200	•HR 664 IH
201	201	(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT -1
202	202	TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate Congressional com-2
203	203	mittees’’ means— 3
204	204	(A) with respect to the House of Rep-4
205	205	resentatives— 5
206	206	(i) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; 6
207	207	and 7
208	208	(ii) the Committee on Natural Re-8
209	209	sources; and 9
210	210	(B) with respect to the Senate— 10
211	211	(i) the Committee on Commerce, 11
212	212	Science, and Transportation; 12
213	213	(ii) the Committee on Energy and 13
214	214	Natural Resources; and 14
215	215	(iii) the Committee on Foreign Rela-15
216	216	tions. 16
217	217	(2) C
218	218	OMMERCIAL RECOVERY .—The term ‘‘com-17
219	219	mercial recovery’’ has the meaning given the term in 18
220	220	section 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Re-19
221	221	sources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403). 20
222	222	(3) D
223	223	EEP SEABED.—The term ‘‘deep seabed’’ 21
224	224	has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 22
225	225	Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 23
226	226	U.S.C. 1403). 24
227	227	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
228	228	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 9
229	229	•HR 664 IH
230	230	(4) DEVELOPMENT.—The term ‘‘development’’ 1
231	231	has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the 2
232	232	Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 3
233	233	1331). 4
234	234	(5) E
235	235	XPLORATION.—The term ‘‘exploration’’— 5
236	236	(A) when used with respect to the deep 6
237	237	seabed, has the meaning given the term in sec-7
238	238	tion 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Re-8
239	239	sources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403); and 9
240	240	(B) when used with respect to the Outer 10
241	241	Continental Shelf, has the meaning given the 11
242	242	term in section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf 12
243	243	Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331). 13
244	244	(6) O
245	245	UTER CONTINENTAL SHELF .—The term 14
246	246	‘‘Outer Continental Shelf’’ has the meaning given 15
247	247	the term ‘‘outer Continental Shelf’’ in section 2 of 16
248	248	the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 17
249	249	1331). 18
250	250	(7) P
251	251	RODUCTION.—The term ‘‘production’’ has 19
252	252	the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Outer 20
253	253	Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331). 21
254	254	(8) S
255	255	ECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 22
256	256	the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Ad-23
257	257	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
258	258	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 10
259	259	•HR 664 IH
260	260	ministrator of the National Oceanic and Atmos-1
261	261	pheric Administration. 2
262	262	Æ
263	263	VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:14 Feb 19, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H664.IH H664
264	264	kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB