Deep Seabed Mining: Notice of Receipt of Application for Deep Seabed Mining Exploration License and Announcement of Public Comment Period and Virtual Public Hearing

Issuing agencies

Abstract

NOAA has received an application for a license to conduct seabed mining exploration activities that is fully compliant with the applicable information requirements of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA or the Act) and the Act's implementing regulations. As part of the application review process, NOAA will hold one virtual public hearing on Eco Minerals, Inc.'s (Eco) application and will accept written comments on the application submitted electronically via the instructions below.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 196 (Tuesday, October 13, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 13, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64880-64881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20830]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No: 260930-0006]
XRIN 0648-XA107


Deep Seabed Mining: Notice of Receipt of Application for Deep 
Seabed Mining Exploration License and Announcement of Public Comment 
Period and Virtual Public Hearing

AGENCY: Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of application for deep seabed mining 
exploration license; request for comments; notice of virtual public 
hearing.

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SUMMARY: NOAA has received an application for a license to conduct 
seabed mining exploration activities that is fully compliant with the 
applicable information requirements of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral 
Resources Act (DSHMRA or the Act) and the Act's implementing 
regulations. As part of the application review process, NOAA will hold 
one virtual public hearing on Eco Minerals, Inc.'s (Eco) application 
and will accept written comments on the application submitted 
electronically via the instructions below.

DATES: Comments on the application must be received by December 14, 
2026. The virtual public hearing is scheduled

[[Page 64881]]

for November 16, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). 
Instructions for attending the virtual public hearing are provided 
below.

ADDRESSES: The Eco application is electronically available at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NOS-2026-2608">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NOS-2026-2608</a>.
    You may send comments, identified by docket number, by either of 
the following means:

Written Comments

    Submit all public written comments on Eco's Application via the 
Federal <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> e-Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NOS-2026-2608">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NOS-2026-2608</a> or go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and enter 
``NOAA-NOS-2026-2608'' in the search bar.
    Comments must be submitted by the date and electronic method 
described below to ensure that the comments are received, documented, 
and considered by NOAA. Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered. Comments that are not related to the application 
or that contain profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate 
language will not be considered. To ensure full consideration by NOAA, 
comments must be submitted in English. Comments that are not submitted 
in English may not be posted to the public dockets on <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, 
or considered by NOAA. All relevant comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address) submitted voluntarily by the sender 
will be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business 
information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA will 
accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you 
wish to remain anonymous).

Virtual Public Hearings

    You may submit oral comments for Eco's Application during the 
November 16, 2026 meeting.
    NOAA will conduct a virtual public hearing via Adobe Connect. Each 
person who wants to attend the virtual public hearing must 
electronically register by November 12, 2026, 5 p.m. ET. Attendance at 
the virtual public hearing will be limited to 1,000 individuals. Any 
person who registers and wants to speak at a virtual public hearing 
should indicate that they want to speak during registration. To 
register for either hearing, use the following link: <a href="https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/ef1lgeja8pd6/event/event_info.html">https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/ef1lgeja8pd6/event/event_info.html</a>. Each 
registered participant will receive an Adobe Connect link for the 
virtual public hearing.
    Once the virtual public hearing starts, NOAA will describe the 
virtual public hearing logistics. NOAA will then start the public 
comment part of the virtual public hearing and will call on speakers on 
a first come/first served basis through the raised hand function of 
Adobe Connect. NOAA will then unmute the person speaking. Each speaker 
will have three minutes to speak on the Eco application. If a speaker 
does not respond when they are called on, NOAA will move to the next 
speaker. At the three-minute mark for each speaker, NOAA will mute that 
speaker. Speakers cannot allot their time to another speaker. Once all 
speakers have spoken, or at the scheduled end of the virtual public 
hearing, whichever is earlier, NOAA will end the virtual public 
hearing. NOAA retains discretion to extend the virtual public hearing 
if appropriate and feasible. NOAA will record each hearing and will 
include transcripts of the hearing on the public dockets for the Eco 
application on the <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> website at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NOS-2026-2608">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NOS-2026-2608</a>. The names provided by 
each speaker will also be published as part of the transcripts.
    The virtual public hearing does not replace the process for 
submission of written comments. NOAA will not respond during the 
hearing to oral comments or questions. To ensure full consideration by 
NOAA, oral comments must be in English. Comments that are not in 
English may not be transcribed or considered by NOAA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Cole, 301-233-2998, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#41233338202f6f222e2d24012f2e20206f262e37"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dfbdada6beb1f1bcb0b3ba9fb1b0bebef1b8b0a9">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 5, 2025, NOAA received an 
amended application from Eco for a license to conduct seabed mining 
exploration activities within the seabed area beyond national 
jurisdiction within the Pacific Ocean in areas in the Clarion-
Clipperton Zone and an area between Guam and Wake Island. NOAA has 
determined that the application is fully compliant with the applicable 
information requirements of the Act and its implementing regulations. 
Under DSHMRA, NOAA shall publish notice of all license applications 
and, subject to applicable public disclosure limitations, interested 
persons are afforded the opportunity to examine the relevant 
application materials and to submit written and oral comments to NOAA. 
NOAA has determined that the Eco application is the relevant material 
for examination during the notice of application. 30 U.S.C. 1426(a)(1). 
This application is electronically available at the location listed in 
the ADDRESSES section. Please note that the statements made in the 
application do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or the views 
of the U.S. Government.
    Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1426(a)(1).

Neil A. Jacobs,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA 
Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-20830 Filed 10-9-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P


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