USA: bill prohibiting seabed mining in Hawai‘i’s state marine waters signed

The Governor of the State of Hawaii signed bill SB 2575 on 8 July 2024, which prohibits seabed mining in Hawai‘i’s state marine waters, citing environmental risks. The legislature found that Seabed mineral mining is not consistent with the public interest, including the right that each person has to a clean and healthy environment. This bill prohibits the mining, extraction, and removal of minerals from the seabed in all state marine waters, with certain exemptions. It also prohibits the issuance of any permit for or in connection with the development or operation of any facility or infrastructure associated with the mining, extraction, or removal of minerals from the seabed within state marine waters. See the press release from the Governor’s office and see also Bill SB 2575; the relevant section can be read below:

§190D- Seabed mining; permits; prohibited.

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the mining, extraction, and removal of minerals from the seabed shall be prohibited in state marine waters.
(b) No permit shall be issued for or in connection with the development or operation of any facility or infrastructure associated with the mining, extraction, or removal of minerals from the seabed within state marine waters.
(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), the collection of sand from state marine waters to replenish beaches in the State shall be permitted; provided that prior approval from the board is obtained.
(d) This section shall not be construed to prohibit scientific research or collections conducted by or on behalf of an educational, scientific, or research institution or a governmental agency.
(e) Nothing contained in this section shall diminish, alter, or amend any existing rights, privileges, or practices of the Native Hawaiian people, nor shall the obligations of the State to the Native Hawaiian people be absolved.
(f) As used in this section, “minerals” means natural deposits of valuable minerals, including metals and placer deposits of metals, nonmetallic minerals, gemstones, ores, gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, manganese, silica, chrome, platinum, tungsten, zirconium, titanium, garnet, phosphorous, polymetallic nodules, and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts.