,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ffd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #bc1 #bjbe,mr4 ,case 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,bonamici1 ,ms4 ,norton1 and ,ms4 ,tlaib7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit certain mining activities on the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,american ,seabed ,protection ,act4 #b4 ,prohibition of certain mining activities on deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,as determined by the ,united ,nations1 most recently in its ,sustainable ,development ,goals report1 our world's oceans are at great risk from a number of factors1 including atmospheric change1 resource extraction1 and pollution4 7#b7 ,the ,united ,nation's #bjcj ,agenda for ,sustainable ,development1 launched by the #bjae ,,un ,summit in ,new ,york established ,sustainable ,development ,goal #ad 7,,sds #ad71 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans1 seas1 and marine resources4 ,target #b of ,,sds #ad commits ,states to sustainably manage marine ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts and strengthen their resilience4 7#c7 ,the international marine scientific and policy consensus is that deep seabed mining presents a major risk to the marine environment1 including-- 7,a7 the direct loss of unique and ecologically important species2 7,b7 large sediment plumes that will negatively affect ecosystems well beyond the actual mining sites2 7,c7 noise pollution that will cause physiological and behavioral stress to marine species2 7,d7 likely contamination of commercially important species of food fish2 and 7,e7 likely negative impacts on carbon sequestration dynamics and deep-ocean carbon storage4 7#d7 ,the ,united ,nations ,convention on ,biological ,diversity1 #aeth ,conference of ,parties1 ,decision #ae_/bd encourages member ,states to ensure that1 before deep seabed mineral exploitation is permitted1 the related impacts on the marine environment and biodiversity are sufficiently researched1 the risks to the marine ecosystem are sufficiently understood1 and sufficient regulation and conditions are imposed to ensure that exploitation does not cause harmful effects to the marine environment and biodiversity4 7#e7 ,the #bjbb ,united ,nations ,environment ,programme ,financial ,initiative report on deep seabed mining states that the financing of such activities is not consistent with ,sustainable ,blue ,economy ,finance ,principles4 7#f7 ,there is currently insufficient scientific information on the deep sea and related marine ecosystems to fully and accurately assess the risks and impacts of deep seabed mining activities4 7b7 ,prohibition of certain mining activities on deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf 7#a7 ,deep seabed ,notwithstanding any provision of the ,deep ,seabed ,hard ,mineral ,resources ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #adja et seq471 no license1 permit1 or other authorization may be issued for exploration or commercial recovery4 7#b7 ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,notwithstanding any provision of the ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acja et seq471 no license1 permit1 or other authorization may be issued for exploration1 development1 or production of a hardrock mineral on the ,outer ,continental ,shelf4 7#c7 ,exception for scientific research ,paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 shall not apply to the issuance of a license1 permit1 or other authorization to carry out scientific research activities4 7c7 ,assessment of environmental impacts of mining activities on deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with the ,national ,academies of ,science1 ,engineering1 and ,medicine to conduct a comprehensive study of the environmental impacts of mining activities on the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf4 7#b7 ,submission of assessment ,the ,secretary shall submit to the appropriate ,congressional committees a report regarding the findings of the study described in paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,contents ,the study described in paragraph 7#a7 shall include the following3 7,a7 ,a characterization of ecosystems-- 7i7 on the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf2 7ii7 in the overlying water columns of the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf2 and 7iii7 on seamounts and hydrothermal vents4 7,b7 ,an assessment of the potential impacts associated with mining activities on the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf on-- 7i7 habitats and species on the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf and in the overlying water columns of the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf1 including-- 7,i7 an approximate quantification of the spatial extent and timescale of such impacts2 and 7,,ii7 the potential for the recovery of such habitats and species from such impacts2 7ii7 the capacity of deep sea and open ocean processes and ecosystems to sequester greenhouse gases2 7iii7 users of the marine environment1 including-- 7,i7 commercial and recreational fisheries2 7,,ii7 recreational users2 7,,iii7 aquaculture operations2 and 7,,iv7 developers of subsea infrastructure2 and 7iv7 indigenous peoples and cultures linked to marine species and the marine environment4 7,c7 ,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 webs4 7,d7 ,an approximate quantification of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with mining activities on the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf1 including such emissions that may result from the alteration of the biology1 geology1 or chemistry of the sediment on or the overlying water column of the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf4 7,e7 ,an assessment of the viability of alternatives to the use of minerals found on the deep seabed and ,outer ,continental ,shelf1 including-- 7i7 developing a greater capacity for and promoting the reuse and recycling of such minerals in circulation2 7ii7 developing and promoting the use of substitute minerals and materials that have fewer or less severe environmental impacts associated with such use2 and 7iii7 developing methods to reduce the environmental impacts of terrestrial mining practices and other similar initiatives4 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate ,congressional committees ,the term appropriate ,congressional committees means-- 7,a7 with respect to the ,house of ,representatives-- 7i7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs2 and 7ii7 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources2 and 7,b7 with respect to the ,senate-- 7i7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation2 7ii7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources2 and 7iii7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations4 7#b7 ,commercial recovery ,the term commercial recovery has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,deep ,seabed ,hard ,mineral ,resources ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #adjc74 7#c7 ,deep seabed ,the term deep seabed has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,deep ,seabed ,hard ,mineral ,resources ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #adjc74 7#d7 ,development ,the term development has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acca74 7#e7 ,exploration ,the term exploration-- 7,a7 when used with respect to the deep seabed1 has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,deep ,seabed ,hard ,mineral ,resources ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #adjc72 and 7,b7 when used with respect to the ,outer ,continental ,shelf1 has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acca74 7#f7 ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,the term ,outer ,continental ,shelf has the meaning given the term outer ,continental ,shelf in section #b of the ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acca74 7#g7 ,production ,the term production has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acca74 7#h7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4