I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4537 
To prohibit certain mining activities on the deep seabed and Outer 
Continental Shelf, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 11, 2023 
Mr. CASE (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. 
LEE of California, and Ms. PINGREE) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To prohibit certain mining activities on the deep seabed 
and Outer Continental Shelf, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Seabed Pro-
tection Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN MINING ACTIVITIES ON 
DEEP SEABED AND OUTER CONTINENTAL 
SHELF. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
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(D) likely contamination of commercially 
important species of food fish; and 
(E) likely negative impacts on carbon se-
questration dynamics and deep-ocean carbon 
storage. 
(4) The United Nations Convention on Biologi-
cal Diversity, 15th Conference of Parties, Decision 
15/24 encourages member States to ensure that, be-
fore deep seabed mineral exploitation is permitted, 
the related impacts on the marine environment and 
biodiversity are sufficiently researched, the risks to 
the marine ecosystem are sufficiently understood, 
and sufficient regulation and conditions are imposed 
to ensure that exploitation does not cause harmful 
effects to the marine environment and biodiversity. 
(5) The 2022 United Nations Environment 
Programme Financial Initiative report on deep sea-
bed mining states that the financing of such activi-
ties is not consistent with Sustainable Blue Economy 
Finance Principles. 
(6) There is currently insufficient scientific in-
formation on the deep sea and related marine eco-
systems to fully and accurately assess the risks and 
impacts of deep seabed mining activities. 
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(b) PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN MINING ACTIVITIES 
ON DEEP SEABED AND OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF.— 
(1) DEEP SEABED.—Notwithstanding any pro-
vision of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources 
Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), no license, permit, or 
other authorization may be issued for exploration or 
commercial recovery. 
(2) OUTER
CONTINENTAL
SHELF.—Notwith-
standing any provision of the Outer Continental 
Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.), no li-
cense, permit, or other authorization may be issued 
for exploration, development, or production of a 
hardrock mineral on the Outer Continental Shelf. 
(3) EXCEPTION FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.— 
Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to the 
issuance of a license, permit, or other authorization 
to carry out scientific research activities. 
(c) ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF 
MINING ACTIVITIES ON DEEP SEABED AND OUTER CON-
TINENTAL SHELF.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary shall seek to enter into an agreement with the 
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and 
Medicine to conduct a comprehensive study of the 
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environmental impacts of mining activities on the 
deep seabed and Outer Continental Shelf. 
(2) SUBMISSION
OF
ASSESSMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate Congressional 
committees a report regarding the findings of the 
study described in paragraph (1). 
(3) CONTENTS.—The study described in para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A characterization of ecosystems— 
(i) on the deep seabed and Outer Con-
tinental Shelf; 
(ii) in the overlying water columns of 
the deep seabed and Outer Continental 
Shelf; and 
(iii) on seamounts and hydrothermal 
vents. 
(B) An assessment of the potential impacts 
associated with mining activities on the deep 
seabed and Outer Continental Shelf on— 
(i) habitats and species on the deep 
seabed and Outer Continental Shelf and in 
the overlying water columns of the deep 
seabed and Outer Continental Shelf, in-
cluding— 
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(I) an approximate quantification 
of the spatial extent and timescale of 
such impacts; and 
(II) the potential for the recovery 
of such habitats and species from 
such impacts; 
(ii) the capacity of deep sea and open 
ocean processes and ecosystems to seques-
ter greenhouse gases; 
(iii) users of the marine environment, 
including— 
(I) commercial and recreational 
fisheries; 
(II) recreational users; 
(III) aquaculture operations; and 
(IV) developers of subsea infra-
structure; and 
(iv) indigenous peoples and cultures 
linked to marine species and the marine 
environment. 
(C) An assessment of the potential impacts 
of sediment plumes from disturbance of the 
deep seabed and Outer Continental Shelf and 
collector vessel discharge on pelagic species and 
food webs. 
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(D) An approximate quantification of the 
greenhouse gas emissions associated with min-
ing activities on the deep seabed and Outer 
Continental Shelf, including such emissions that 
may result from the alteration of the biology, 
geology, or chemistry of the sediment on or the 
overlying water column of the deep seabed and 
Outer Continental Shelf. 
(E) An assessment of the viability of alter-
natives to the use of minerals found on the deep 
seabed and Outer Continental Shelf, includ-
ing— 
(i) developing a greater capacity for 
and promoting the reuse and recycling of 
such minerals in circulation; 
(ii) developing and promoting the use 
of substitute minerals and materials that 
have fewer or less severe environmental im-
pacts associated with such use; and 
(iii) developing methods to reduce the 
environmental impacts of terrestrial min-
ing practices and other similar initiatives. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate Congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) with respect to the House of Rep-
resentatives— 
(i) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; 
and 
(ii) the Committee on Natural Re-
sources; and 
(B) with respect to the Senate— 
(i) the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation; 
(ii) the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources; and 
(iii) the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions. 
(2) COMMERCIAL RECOVERY.—The term ‘‘com-
mercial recovery’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 4 of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Re-
sources Act (30 U.S.C. 1403). 
(3) DEEP SEABED.—The term ‘‘deep seabed’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 
U.S.C. 1403). 
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