The U.S. government is eyeing a massive 28 million hectare stretch of Pacific seabed near Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands for deep-sea mineral mining—critical for batteries and electronics—but local leaders are fiercely resisting. Governor David Apatang of the Northern Marianas demands rigorous environmental safeguards before any action, while Guam’s Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio outright opposes it, warning that national security shouldn’t come at the expense of unproven environmental risks. The push comes amid growing global competition with China, but not without backlash: American Samoa’s governor also opposes mining, fearing damage to its tuna industry, and environmental groups have filed lawsuits, arguing federal agencies haven’t adequately assessed the catastrophic potential for marine ecosystems, including sediment disruption and noise pollution that could poison food chains and harm marine life.
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