[House Report 112-302]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
112th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 112-302
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TECHNOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY, AND STUDY OF SHALLOW AND DEEP
SEABED MINERALS
_______
December 1, 2011.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2803]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the
bill (H.R. 2803) to direct the Secretary of the Interior,
acting through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
Regulation and Enforcement, to conduct a technological
capability assessment, survey, and economic feasibility study
regarding recovery of minerals, other than oil and natural gas,
from the shallow and deep seabed of the United States, having
considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments
and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. TECHNOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY, AND STUDY OF SHALLOW
AND DEEP SEABED MINERALS.
(a) Authorization.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement and the
United States Geological Survey and in consultation with the heads of
other appropriate Federal agencies, shall conduct--
(1) an inventory of existing data on offshore mineral
resources, other than oil and natural gas, and an analysis of
existing samples of such offshore minerals, to identify and
quantify known resources;
(2) an assessment of all available domestic technological
capabilities required for the location and the efficient and
environmentally sound recovery of such minerals from the
shallow and deep seabed of the United States;
(3) an economic feasibility study on the recovery of such
minerals; and
(4) an assessment of the environmental and safety risks
associated with shallow and deep sea mineral production, other
than oil and natural gas.
(b) Report.--No later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress containing
the findings and recommendations of the inventory, assessment, and
study under this section.
(c) Definition.--In this section the term ``shallow and deep seabed
of the United States''--
(1) means areas of the seabed that are contiguous to and
within 200 miles of the territorial sea of the United States
and the resources of which are subject to its jurisdiction or
control; and
(2) includes such areas that are contiguous to and within 200
miles of the territorial sea around any inhabited and
uninhabited territory or possession of the United States
including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Midway
Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Marshall
Islands, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll, Baker, Howland, and
Jarvis Islands, Kingman Reef, Navassa Island, Serranilla Bank,
Bajo Nuevo Bank, and Palmyra Atoll.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $500,000 for each
of fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
Amend the title so as to read:
A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
technological capability assessment, inventory, and economic
feasibility study regarding the recovery of minerals, other
than oil and natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed of
the United States.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 2803, as ordered reported, is to direct
the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a technological
capability assessment, inventory, and economic feasibility
study regarding the recovery of minerals, other than oil and
natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed of the United
States.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Manganese or polymetalic nodules, containing manganese,
nickel, copper, cobalt, and other mineral commodities, were
first discovered in the Kara Sea in the Siberian Arctic in
1868. During the 1870s, scientific expeditions of the HMS
Challenger found manganese nodules throughout the world's
oceans. The highest concentrations are found on the abysmal
plains of the deep ocean between 13,000 and 20,000 feet below
sea level. Three areas are thought to contain nodules with
economically recoverable concentrations of metals: the North
Central Pacific Ocean, the Peru Basin, and the North Central
Indian Ocean.
During the 1960s and 1970s, numerous private sector and
government led consortiums conducted extensive research to try
and identify and harvest these resources. At the time, metal
prices and technology were not sufficient to warrant further
development.
In addition to manganese nodules, massive sulfide deposits
form around hydrothermal vents such as black smokers in certain
tectonically active areas on the sea floor. These deposits may
contain economic concentrations of copper, gold, silver, zinc,
and rare earth minerals.
Today, with access to new technology developed to support
deepwater and ultra deepwater oil and gas development,
increased demand for mineral resources, and the subsequent
increase in commodity prices, there has been a renewed interest
in deep seabed mining, and in particular, for the massive
sulfide deposits described above.
H.R. 2803 directs the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
Regulation and Enforcement to assess the non-fuel mineral
resources within the United States' Exclusive Economic Zone,
including the territories and affiliated states; the
technological capability of the U.S. to explore for and harvest
these mineral resources; and the economic feasibility of deep
seabed mining. The agency is to report its findings back to
Congress within two years.
If these mineral resources occur within the U.S. Exclusive
Economic Zone and can be harvested economically, they would
provide opportunities for private sector job growth and a
revenue stream for government entities.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 2803 was introduced on August 5, 2011, by Delegate Eni
Faleomavaega (D-AS). The bill was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee
on Energy and Mineral Resources. On September 13, 2011, the
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a hearing on
the bill. On October 5, 2011, the Full Natural Resources
Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Energy
and Mineral Resources was discharged by unanimous consent.
Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) offered an amendment to the
bill; the amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. The bill
was then ordered favorably reported to the House of
Representatives by unanimous consent.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has
received the following cost estimate for this bill from the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
H.R. 2803--A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
technological capability assessment, inventory, and economic
feasibility study regarding the recovery of minerals, other
than oil and natural gas, from the shallow and deep seabed of
the United States
H.R. 2803 would authorize the appropriation of $500,000 a
year over the 2012-2013 period for the Department of the
Interior to study the recovery of offshore minerals other than
oil and gas. The bill would require the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and the United States
Geological Survey to conduct an inventory of offshore minerals
and to assess the technical and economic feasibility of
offshore mineral development.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO
estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $1
million over the 2012-2013 period. Enacting H.R. 2803 would not
affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures do not apply.
H.R. 2803 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave. The
estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required
by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, this bill does not contain any new spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures. Assuming appropriation of the
authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the
legislation would cost $1 million over the 2012-2013 period.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill, as ordered reported, is to direct the
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a technological capability
assessment, inventory, and economic feasibility study regarding
the recovery of minerals, other than oil and natural gas, from
the shallow and deep seabed of the United States.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or
tribal law.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.