19–006 

112TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 112–302 

TECHNOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY, AND STUDY 

OF SHALLOW AND DEEP SEABED MINERALS 

DECEMBER 1, 2011.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 

of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, from the Committee on Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 2803] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 2803) to direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting 

through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement, to conduct a technological capability assessment, survey, and economic feasibility study regarding recovery of minerals, 

other than oil and natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed 

of the United States, having considered the same, report favorably 

thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 

The amendments are as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. TECHNOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY, AND STUDY OF SHALLOW AND DEEP 

SEABED MINERALS. 

(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of 

Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement and the United States Geological Survey and in consultation with the heads of other appropriate Federal 

agencies, shall conduct— 

(1) an inventory of existing data on offshore mineral resources, other than oil 

and natural gas, and an analysis of existing samples of such offshore minerals, 

to identify and quantify known resources; 

(2) an assessment of all available domestic technological capabilities required 

for the location and the efficient and environmentally sound recovery of such 

minerals from the shallow and deep seabed of the United States; 

(3) an economic feasibility study on the recovery of such minerals; and 

(4) an assessment of the environmental and safety risks associated with shallow and deep sea mineral production, other than oil and natural gas. 


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(b) REPORT.—No later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 

Secretary shall submit a report to Congress containing the findings and recommendations of the inventory, assessment, and study under this section. 

(c) DEFINITION.—In this section the term ‘‘shallow and deep seabed of the United 

States’’— 

(1) means areas of the seabed that are contiguous to and within 200 miles 

of the territorial sea of the United States and the resources of which are subject 

to its jurisdiction or control; and 

(2) includes such areas that are contiguous to and within 200 miles of the territorial sea around any inhabited and uninhabited territory or possession of the 

United States including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Midway Islands, the 

Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Marshall Islands, Wake Island, Johnston 

Atoll, Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, Kingman Reef, Navassa Island, 

Serranilla Bank, Bajo Nuevo Bank, and Palmyra Atoll. 

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 

to the Secretary to carry out this Act $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 and 

2013. 

Amend the title so as to read: 

A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a technological capability 

assessment, inventory, and economic feasibility study regarding the recovery of minerals, other than oil and natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed of the 

United States. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 2803, as ordered reported, is to direct the 

Secretary of the Interior to conduct a technological capability assessment, inventory, and economic feasibility study regarding the 

recovery of minerals, other than oil and natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed of the United States. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Manganese or polymetalic nodules, containing manganese, nickel, copper, cobalt, and other mineral commodities, were first discovered in the Kara Sea in the Siberian Arctic in 1868. During the 

1870s, scientific expeditions of the HMS Challenger found manganese nodules throughout the world’s oceans. The highest concentrations are found on the abysmal plains of the deep ocean between 13,000 and 20,000 feet below sea level. Three areas are 

thought to contain nodules with economically recoverable concentrations of metals: the North Central Pacific Ocean, the Peru 

Basin, and the North Central Indian Ocean. 

During the 1960s and 1970s, numerous private sector and government led consortiums conducted extensive research to try and 

identify and harvest these resources. At the time, metal prices and 

technology were not sufficient to warrant further development. 

In addition to manganese nodules, massive sulfide deposits form 

around hydrothermal vents such as black smokers in certain 

tectonically active areas on the sea floor. These deposits may contain economic concentrations of copper, gold, silver, zinc, and rare 

earth minerals. 

Today, with access to new technology developed to support deepwater and ultra deepwater oil and gas development, increased demand for mineral resources, and the subsequent increase in commodity prices, there has been a renewed interest in deep seabed 

mining, and in particular, for the massive sulfide deposits described above. 


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H.R. 2803 directs the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 

Regulation and Enforcement to assess the non-fuel mineral resources within the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone, including the territories and affiliated states; the technological capability 

of the U.S. to explore for and harvest these mineral resources; and 

the economic feasibility of deep seabed mining. The agency is to report its findings back to Congress within two years. 

If these mineral resources occur within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and can be harvested economically, they would provide 

opportunities for private sector job growth and a revenue stream 

for government entities. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 2803 was introduced on August 5, 2011, by Delegate Eni 

Faleomavaega (D–AS). The bill was referred to the Committee on 

Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 

on Energy and Mineral Resources. On September 13, 2011, the 

Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a hearing on 

the bill. On October 5, 2011, the Full Natural Resources Committee 

met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 

Resources was discharged by unanimous consent. Congressman 

Doug Lamborn (R–CO) offered an amendment to the bill; the 

amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. The bill was then 

ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by 

unanimous consent. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 

Natural Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of 

the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B) of that rule provides 

that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Under clause 

3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 

section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the 

Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

H.R. 2803—A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 

a technological capability assessment, inventory, and economic 

feasibility study regarding the recovery of minerals, other than 

oil and natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed of the 

United States 

H.R. 2803 would authorize the appropriation of $500,000 a year 

over the 2012–2013 period for the Department of the Interior to 

study the recovery of offshore minerals other than oil and gas. The 


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bill would require the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and the United States Geological Survey 

to conduct an inventory of offshore minerals and to assess the technical and economic feasibility of offshore mineral development. 

Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO esti- mates that implementing the legislation would cost $1 million over 

the 2012–2013 period. Enacting H.R. 2803 would not affect direct 

spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not 

apply. 

H.R. 2803 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director 

for Budget Analysis. 

2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required by 

clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, 

this bill does not contain any new spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 

Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates 

that implementing the legislation would cost $1 million over the 

2012–2013 period. 

3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 

clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective 

of this bill, as ordered reported, is to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a technological capability assessment, inventory, 

and economic feasibility study regarding the recovery of minerals, 

other than oil and natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed 

of the United States. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e), 

9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law. 

Æ 


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