The Office of the Governor and Lt. Governor will host a free public workshop Jan. 7 to help residents submit comments on a federal proposal to allow deep-sea mining in waters near the Marianas Trench, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The event, titled “Our Ocean, Our Voice: A Community Workshop for Comments on Deep Sea Mining,” will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Guam Museum in Hagåtña. Organizers said the workshop is open to the public at no cost and will provide assistance in understanding the proposal and drafting comments ahead of the Jan. 12 federal deadline.
Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said the proposal could have far-reaching consequences for Guam’s marine environment and cultural heritage. “Our ocean is not a commodity. It is our lifeline, our heritage, and our responsibility to protect for generations to come,” Leon Guerrero said, urging broad community participation.
The proposal by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management targets about 35.5 million acres of seafloor east of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, an area roughly the size of the distance between Guam and Rota. The plan has raised concerns across the Pacific over potential environmental damage to deep and biodiverse ocean ecosystems.
Leon Guerrero and CNMI Governor David Apatang previously requested a 120-day extension to the public comment period, arguing that the original 30-day window was insufficient. Federal officials granted an additional 30 days, though local leaders have said more time is needed.
Workshop participants will receive guidance on accessing the federal docket at regulations.gov and structuring effective comments. Environmental experts scheduled to speak include representatives from Blue Ocean Law, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.
The event will be facilitated by the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, and Guam Green Growth. Walk-ins are welcome.