On January 22, 2026 the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing titled “Deep Dive: Examining the Regulatory and Statutory Barriers to Deep Sea Mining.” The hearing revealed significant bipartisan resistance to deep-sea mining in the US Pacific territories, including a unified position from Republican members Radewagen of American Samoa, Moylan of Guam, and King-Hinds of Northern Mariana Islands.
Several members – Democrats and Republicans alike – voiced urgent concerns about the ecological, cultural and economic risks of deep sea mining, especially for Indigenous communities and U.S. territories whose identities and livelihoods are intimately tied to the ocean.
Several members introduced testimony from constituents. Representative Adelita Grijalva, (D-Arizona) asked for unanimous consent to enter into the record testimony from Indigenous leaders in Guam, CNMI, and American Samoa submitted by fellows from the Environment and Democracy Fellowship of Right to Democracy, an organization working to promote democracy equity and self-determination in the five U.S. Territories. The testimony warns “For the people, cultural identity and survival are inseparable from the sea. Polluting or industrializing the deep sea ocean threatens the ability to continue these religious and cultural practices and jeopardizes the continuation of indigenous knowledge and healing traditions.”
“When we got news from the hearing, and saw the list of witnesses were mainly the companies interested in obtaining the leases for deep seabed mining in our territories, we worked to make sure that voices from the territories were heard,” said Adi Martínez-Román, co-director of Right to Democracy. “We are grateful to Representative Grijalva for introducing the testimony prepared by our fellows, and which powerfully reflects the voices of people from the U.S. territories that oppose the imposition of such extractive practices without real consultation or consent.”
Also entered into the record by Delegate James Moylan (R-Guam) were: (1) Guam Legislature Resolution 13238, which passed unanimously and called for a moratorium on deep sea mining, objecting to BOEM’s RFI for commercial leasing offshore the Marianas and calling for a suspension of the RFI and a full assessment of deep sea mining with meaningful territorial consultation; (2) Mayors Council of Guam Resolution 2601 adopted unanimously formally declaring the opposition of any exploration, leasing, and development adjacent to or affecting Guam until sufficient credible evidence exists that such activities will not cause harm to Guam or our people; (3) A letter signed by Guam’s top elected officials opposing BOEM’s proposed commercial leasing in the Marianas: And (4) finally, a coalition letter prepared by the Friends of the Mariana Trench, Micronesian Climate Change Alliance, Right to Democracy, and America the Beautiful for All, and signed by over 5,000 individuals addressing BOEM that calls for a halt of deep sea mining in American Samoa and the Marianas, and engaging in consultation with island communities.
Bipartisan statements made during the congressional hearing include:
“To the Indigenous people of American Samoa, the ocean is not just the backbone of our local economy, it is sacred,” said Delegate Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa). “We have yet to be convinced the benefits will outweigh the costs of this [deep sea mining] occurring so close to our beloved waters.”
“Before congress allows deep sea mining to move forward, we must stop, listen and put real protections in place,” said Representative Adelita Grijalva, (D-Arizona). “Protections that respect Indigenous sovereignty, protect sacred ecosystems, and ensure communities are not forced to carry all the risk for someone else.”
“We (CNMI, Guam, American Samoa) are united here today to protect our homeland,” said Delegate James Moylan (R-Guam). “The ocean is not something we talk about in theory: it is how we live, it feeds our family, it holds our history and connects our people to generations before us”
“Deep sea mining is a solution in search of a problem,” said Representative Jared Huffman (D-California).
“The ocean is not just deeply tied to our identity, our culture, especially in a time when our economy is collapsing; the ocean is a refrigerator for many of the people in our community,” explained Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-Northern Mariana Islands). “People in America Samoa, the people in Guam, and the people in the Marianas came out and said, “Hell naaaah” to deep sea mining.”
Impossible Mining CEO Oliver Gunasekara also testified at the hearing. Invoking Thanos the Mad Titan, the main antagonist from Marvel Studio’s Infinity Saga, Gunasekara threatened, “Deep sea mining is inevitable.”