Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources
Record date: 2025-04-29
( printed page 17735) Executive Order 14285 of April 24, 2025 Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1 . Background. The United States has a core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep sea science and technology and seabed mineral resources. The United States faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign
What this record contains
- Federal Register document
- 2025-07470
- Publication date
- 2025-04-29
- Citation
- 90 FR 17735
- Issuing office
- Executive Office of the President
Official record excerpt
( printed page 17735) Executive Order 14285 of April 24, 2025 Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1 . Background. The United States has a core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep sea science and technology and seabed mineral resources. The United States faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control. Vast offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and energy resources. These resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future, and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals. The United States also controls seabed mineral resources in one of the largest ocean areas of the world. Our Nation can, through the exercise of existing authorities and by establishing international partnerships, access potentially vast resources in seabed polymetallic nodules; other subsea geologic structures; and coastal deposits containing strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements, which are vital to our national security and economic prosperity. Our Nation must take immediate action to accelerate the responsible development of seabed mineral resources, quantify the Nation's endowment of seabed minerals, reinvigorate American leadership in associated extraction and processing technologies, and ensure secure supply chains for our defense, infrastructure, and energy sectors. Sec. 2 . Policy. It is the policy of the United States to advance United States leadership in seabed mineral development by: (a) rapidly developing domestic capabilities for the exploration, characterization, collection, and processing of seabed mineral resources through streamlined permitting without compromising environmental and transparency standards; (b) supporting investment in deep sea science, mapping, and technology; (c) enhancing coordination among executive departments and agencies (agencies) with respect to seabed mineral development activities described in this order; (d) establishing the United States as a global leader in responsible seabed mineral exploration, development technologies, and practices, and as a partner for countries developing seabed mineral resources in areas within their national jurisdictions, including their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ); (e) creating a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals derived from seabed resources to support economic growth, reindustrialization, and military preparedness, including through new processing capabilities; and (f) strengthening partnerships with allies and industry to counter China's growing influence over seabed mineral resources and to ensure United States companies are well-positioned to support allies and partners interested in developing seabed minerals responsibly in areas within their national jurisdictions, including their EEZs. Sec. 3 . Strategic Seabed Critical Mineral Access. Within 60 days of the date of this order: ( printed page 17736) (a) The Secretary of Commerce shall: (i) acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, expedite the process for reviewing and issuing seabed mineral exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits in areas beyond national jurisdiction under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act ( 30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq. ), consistent with applicable law. The expedited process, consistent with applicable law, should ensure efficiency, predictability, and competitiveness for American companies; (ii) in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Energy, and in consultation with the heads of other relevant agencies, provide a report to the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, and the Vice Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council that identifies: (A) private sector interest and opportunities for seabed mineral resource exploration, mining, and environmental monitoring in the United States Outer Continental Shelf; in areas beyond national jurisdiction; and in areas within the national jurisdictions of certain other nations that express interest in partnering with United States companies on seabed mineral development; and (B) private sector interest and opportunities for polymetallic nodule and other seabed mineral resource processing capacity in the United States or on United States-flagged vessels; and (iii) in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Interior, and the heads of other relevant agencies, and
The excerpt is reproduced from the public federal record and may omit later sections, tables, signatures or attachments. Open the official source for the complete text.
Questions for accountability
- What legal authority does this economy action cite?
- Which agencies or officials were directed to act?
- What measurable implementation, cost, deadline or later court action followed?
How to use this page
This is a source-record entry, not a truth-rating by itself. It preserves the action, date and original government publication so it can be connected to later claims, implementation records, court decisions, costs and measurable outcomes. Editorial claim reviews on this site use separate finding labels and explain the evidence for those findings.