Comment Period Extended Regarding Deep-Sea Mining In Waters Off Alaska

The following is courtesy of Alaska Environment:

STATEMENT: Federal bureau extends comment period on deep-sea mining off Alaska coasts after request from Alaska senators

Alaskans will have through end of March to submit information on how deep-sea mining could impact marine habitats, fisheries, communities

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) updated the deadline on Monday for public comments on the possibility of deep-sea mining off Alaska’s coasts. The BOEM’s ‘Request for Information’ (RFI) period will now run an extra 30 days to April 1st. This RFI is an initial step in a process that could lead to lease sales for nodule mining, crust mining, and sand mining. The areas of interest include near the Gulf of Alaska Seamounts, around most of the Aleutian Arc, Goodnews Bay, Norton Sound, the Chukchi Borderlands and the Canada Basin in the Arctic. 

The comment period extension is in line with the extensions BOEM granted during comments on similar RFIs for mineral leasing off of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. These extensions were granted after the agency received requests from local elected officials. In Alaska, the request came from Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan. 

The areas under consideration off Alaska’s coasts are home to salmon, herring, marine mammals, coral species, seabirds and more. Deep-sea mining in these areas has the potential to impact commercial fishing, subsistence fishing and marine mammal hunting, wildlife tourism and the health of Alaska’s marine ecosystems. It is estimated that a majority of the RFI area in Alaska is closed to commercial fishing in order to protect vital marine resources and habitat. Much of the area is also off limits to offshore oil drilling. 
“The extended comment period will allow more Alaskans to consider how deep-sea mining might impact our oceans, food systems, and livelihood. I really appreciate that Senators Murkowski and Sullivan recognized how important it was for Alaskans to have more time to consider how this might impact us” said Dyani Chapman, Alaska Environment Research & Policy Center State Director. “I encourage Alaskans to weigh in and ensure the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management understands the potentially devastating tradeoffs for our ocean life.”