NOAA's New Role: Helping Industry Dig Up the Ocean Floor

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is stepping into a new role. Instead of focusing on science, it's now helping private companies find minerals on the ocean floor. This shift is part of a push to start deep-sea mining in the Pacific Ocean. Deep-sea mining is a controversial idea. It involves collecting potato-sized nodules from the ocean floor. These nodules contain valuable metals like manganese, cobalt, nickel, and copper. These metals are used in things like electric car batteries and weapons. But the problem is, no one knows for sure how this mining will affect marine life. The current administration is eager to start this industry. They've asked NOAA to speed up the process of giving out permits for commercial seabed mining. NOAA has announced a survey that will start next month. This survey will map the seafloor near American Samoa to find minerals for industry.The survey area is huge, covering 30, 000 square miles. It's right next to the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument. This is a pristine coral habitat that supports hundreds of marine species. It's also a protected nesting ground for sea turtles. This isn't the only area being considered for mining. The administration has also proposed opening waters off the Alaska coast for commercial mining. This area stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to the Chukchi Sea. It's a huge area that's also important for fishing. The push for deep-sea mining is happening fast. But it's important to think about the potential impacts. Mining the ocean floor could have serious consequences for marine life. It's a complex issue that needs careful consideration.