A New Chance to Make a Statement to the US
Another public comment period has opened
Last month, a US agency started accepting comments on a proposal to mine the deep sea near American Samoa.
Now, a new public comment period is open, from a different agency. This one’s about proposed rules for US deep sea mining in international waters.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has outlined plans to streamline applications for deep sea mining. Under these changes, miners could get exploration and extraction permits at the same time. This would let them move toward commercial-scale mining faster. They wouldn’t need to first explore deep sea mineral deposits and biodiversity, then apply for the license to mine those areas.
There are also proposed rules for simplifying paperwork, and lots of other, more technical stuff. If you’d like, you can read all about it here. But I’ve given you the highlights, so you can make a comment without reading the whole thing.
By commenting, you give the US government direct feedback on these potential new rules and actions. The agency is required to respond to significant comments when it makes its decision, so it’s possible for your statement to have a real impact. Plus, you don’t need to be a US citizen or live in the US to submit one.
Lots of comments are posted already. If you feel so inspired, join the party and say something! This comment period is open until September 5th. Submit yours here. Remember that whatever you write will be publicly viewable.
And, because the US government loves formalities, they want you to address your comment to: “Mr. Kerry Kehoe, Federal Consistency Specialist, Office for Coastal Management, NOAA. Attention: DSHMRA Proposed Rule Comments.”
Just copy and paste that part, and then state your piece.
Excellent! Thank you!