Youth raise alarm over proposed seabed mining in the Marianas

Two 24-year-olds—speaking as indigenous youth and community members—set the tone for a CNMI town hall meeting that surfaced broad concern over a federal proposal to explore deep-sea mining east of the Marianas.

Neildino Taisacan, a Saipan-born resident affiliated with Friends of the Mariana Trench, said the technical nature of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s request for information made it difficult for ordinary residents to meaningfully participate in the process.

“There’s just so much information that’s presented on that board that’s very likely going to pass over the heads of many in our community members,” Taisacan said during the town hall meeting last Dec. 23 at the Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center.

He added that residents are being asked to respond to scientific and regulatory material that is not easily accessible, arguing that “we are oral speakers since the beginning of time.”

Taisacan warned against relying on promised economic benefits tied to seabed mining, citing past experiences such as the collapse of the garment industry and the failure of the Saipan casino project to deliver lasting gains.

“My grandmother was one of those workers. And when that was done, she had no occupation, which left workers displaced. And the IPI casino disaster, which destroyed sacred areas and did not deliver a lasting economic benefit.”

A proposed 1% profit-sharing model, he said, amounted to “an empty gesture.”

“Profit is easily manipulated,” Taisacan said. “If these are valuable materials, why would we want to give them away? These are valuable resources. These are our roots.”

Alexander Tudela, also 24, echoed those concerns, criticizing what he described as a recurring pattern of limited consultation with island communities. Tudela, who like Taisacan, is affiliated with Friends of the Mariana Trench, said the federal government’s compressed timelines for public comment reflect a lack of respect for local voices.

He said the community was given “a 30-day notification of this proposal,” arguing that it was far too short to allow for meaningful review. “We don’t have enough time to review it,” said Tudela, noting that while stakeholders asked for 120 days, “we’re given 30.”

The truncated timeline, he added, shows a lack of cultural sensitivity. “Where’s the consideration and the respect that we value in our culture, in our community?”

Referring to the request for information, Tudela said BOEM detailed and specific feedback from the public. “In the RFI, the request for information, BOEM wants us to be specific and detailed in our comments so that they can understand where we’re coming from,” he said.

However, he argued that this level of engagement is not returned. “That’s never reciprocated because they don’t offer the same courtesy when it comes to trying to hear our people out.”

As an example, Tudela cited American Samoa, which they said submitted 77,000 comments during a similar process, yet “I believe only 1,000 were considered.” He questioned whether the process truly meets the standard of openness being promoted. “Where’s the transparency that they want?”

Henara Sasamoto, a Public School System employee and educator, while fighting off tears, said she opposes the proposal at this stage because young people have been left out of the discussion.

“I’m just shocked that I heard this through an acquaintance and we’re not involving our youth,” she said.

Sasamoto said she is saying no “right now” because “there’s not enough information,” adding that schools should be directly involved in researching the issue.

“They always want us to do project-based learning. This should be something that we should be researching,” she said. “Our future students and kids should be involved. They should learn it themselves.”

She said today’s decisions will have long-term consequences for young people.

“In the end, they’re the ones who have to deal with the repercussions that we have to decide,” Sasamoto said.

She also called for teaching students to speak up on issues affecting the islands, saying public speaking does not come easily to her.

“For me, it is hard to speak in public, but I’m doing this because I love our island,” she said, adding that she was born and raised in the CNMI and that “whatever I do is for this island and for the future.”

Sasamoto added that access to information remains limited, noting this was the second town hall on the issue and that there was no option to participate remotely.

“I don’t like that this is the second time that there has been a town hall. There are no Zoom links,” she said, adding that the turnout did not reflect the islands’ population.

Several other speakers raised environmental and cultural concerns, including veteran fisherman Cecilio Raiukiulipiy, who warned that deep-sea mining could disrupt traditional navigation routes and marine life relied upon by local fishers.

“We're using fish, whales, dolphins, turtles, and birds on the water. And if they mine in that area, it will affect all the natural stuff that we use out there in open water. And then the second thing is for my fishing friends, I'm also a fisherman here. If we have this mining, if it affects our fishing resources, will this company help our fishermen, our fishing community, and our fish markets?”

Raiukiulipiy also raised an issue of seabed minerals mined in CNMI waters used for war.

“If they mine it and then they're gonna go bomb another place, I thought we were about peace in this world. You know, we don't wanna be part of something that would destroy other countries in the world and destroy our natural resources and environment,” he said.

Jun Coleman opposed the proposal outright, citing pauses and moratoriums adopted by other countries and describing the deep ocean as an unexplored ecosystem that should be protected for future generations.

Leila Staffler said the CNMI should not become a testing ground for a technology that has yet to be proven safe, adding that potential benefits appear uncertain while environmental risks could be permanent.

Henry Fandel of the Division of Fish and Wildlife described how sediment plumes from seabed mining could affect marine food webs and seabirds, noting that many ecological connections between the deep ocean, reefs, and land are still poorly understood.

Other commenters, including Joey Connolly, Blanche Chlarson, and Sheila Babauta of Friends of the Mariana Trench, questioned whether the CNMI has the technical capacity to review future environmental studies and warned that even overwhelming public opposition may not halt the federal process.

Babauta said Pacific Island communities have consistently voiced opposition to deep-sea mining and urged local leaders to take a clearer public stance, rather than relying solely on procedural participation.

Connolly then urged everyone to find out more about the effects of seabed mining in the Marianas, saying, “I want education, education, education on it for the entire CNMI and the world in general.”

The comments came during a town hall hosted by the Office of the Governor to gather public input on BOEM’s request for information and interest related to potential leasing of the outer continental shelf for seabed mineral extraction. The comment period, originally set to close in December, has been extended to Jan. 12, 2026, following a joint request by the governors of the CNMI and Guam.

Gov. David M. Apatang was not present at the meeting, but his chief of staff Henry S. Hofschneider told attendees the administration is seeking an additional 120-day extension and is urging BOEM officials to hold in-person consultations in the Marianas before the comment period ends.

A video presentation by BOEM outlined the multi-step federal leasing process and emphasized that the current phase does not authorize mining but seeks information on geology, environmental impacts, fisheries, and industry interest. BOEM representatives said any future steps would require environmental reviews and additional public input.

Hofschneider was later joined by Department of Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Sylvan Igisomar. The meeting was moderated by Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality administrator Floyd Masga.

Hofschneider said all comments from the town hall will be submitted to BOEM as part of the official record. He added that another town hall meeting is planned on Saipan, with additional public forums scheduled on Tinian and Rota in the coming weeks.