SAIPAN — Governor David M. Apatang’s office said Tuesday it has formally received the federal Proposed Leasing Notice for seabed mineral leasing off the CNMI, starting the clock on a statutory 60-day governor’s review that the administration said it approaches “with extreme caution.”
The Office of the Governor said the notice from the Marine Minerals Administration, formerly the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, initiates the review window during which Apatang will conduct a thorough interagency evaluation of the proposed terms, environmental safeguards and economic stipulations for Pacific Mineral Lease Sale 2.
“Our administration approaches this announcement with extreme caution,” Apatang said. “While MMA’s proposed action covers preliminary data collection rather than commercial extraction, we must ensure that no activity, survey or otherwise, takes place without rigorous scientific baseline studies, complete transparency, and explicit protections for our marine resources.”
While acknowledging the federal government’s strategic focus on critical mineral supply chains, the governor’s office said the Commonwealth’s evaluation will remain anchored in protecting the people, environment and marine resources of the CNMI.
The office laid out four prerequisites it called non-negotiable before any final leasing decisions are made. First, no offshore preliminary operations should proceed without environmental baselines developed through independent, peer-reviewed scientific analysis. Second, clear spatial buffers and enforceable fisheries communication plans must be mandated to prevent physical or acoustic interference with local commercial and subsistence fishing. Third, if federal surveys proceed, the CNMI must receive binding commitments on local workforce development, port infrastructure investments and priority contracting for island businesses. Fourth, federal agencies must give CNMI environmental officials and traditional leaders an active role in reviewing survey plans, evaluating monitoring data and safeguarding territorial interests.
The governor’s review carries particular weight in the process. Under federal regulations, the CNMI governor is the formal commenter on the proposed sale before the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management decides whether to proceed. The proposed notice sets a Dec. 16 auction date, with a Final Leasing Notice required at least 30 days before any sale.
“We welcome dialogue with the Department of the Interior and the Marine Minerals Administration, but our priority remains unchanged,” Apatang said. “We will thoroughly examine the proposed terms over the next 60 days to ensure that the ecological integrity of our waters and the long-term well-being of the CNMI are fully safeguarded.”
The governor’s office said it will coordinate with CNMI agencies, community stakeholders, scientific experts and federal partners throughout the review period and provide additional information as the evaluation progresses.
