in effect
Executive Order 14285, signed April 24, 2025, directs multiple federal agencies to speed up permitting and expand U.S. access to minerals found on the ocean floor — both in U.S. waters and in international areas. It establishes seabed mineral development as a national security and economic priority, aiming to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers for materials like nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, and rare earth elements.
Within 60 days, the Commerce Department (through NOAA) must create an expedited process for issuing exploration licenses and mining permits in international waters under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. The Interior Department must similarly fast-track permits and leases for the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Commerce must produce a plan to map priority seabed areas and a report on private-sector opportunities; Defense and Energy must report on whether the National Defense Stockpile should store seabed-sourced materials and whether offtake agreements are feasible. Finance agencies (Export-Import Bank, DFC, Trade and Development Agency) must jointly report on funding tools available to support domestic and international seabed mineral projects.
U.S. companies in deep-sea mining, mineral processing, and related technology stand to gain faster access to federal permits and potential government financing or procurement support. Federal agencies — principally Commerce (NOAA), Interior (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management), Defense, Energy, and several finance bodies — face new 60-day reporting and process-reform deadlines. Allied and partner nations interested in developing their own seabed resources may be approached by the U.S. for joint commercial and scientific agreements.