Dozens of residents, scientists, students and community leaders gathered at the Guam Museum for an “Our Ocean, Our Voice” workshop to prepare public comments opposing a federal proposal to open nearby waters to deep-sea mining, as the public comment deadline approaches.
The workshop, hosted by the Office of the Governor and Lt. Governor and facilitated by the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant and Guam Green Growth, focused on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s proposal affecting waters near the Marianas Trench, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The public comment period closes at 2:59 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero told attendees the people of the Marianas must assert their voices in the federal process.
“Things are moving without us being at the table,” Leon Guerrero said. “With us being the most impacted and having the burden of negative consequences of seabed mining, we need to, and as a united front, make a statement.”
Experts from across the Pacific presented on environmental, legal and cultural impacts, including University of Hawaii scientist Jeffrey Drazen, Marianas Trench Monument Superintendent Sean MacDuff and Blue Ocean Law’s Julian Aguon and Isa Ariolla Mook.
Drazen said mining activity could cause long-lasting damage to fragile seabed ecosystems and is driven by global demand for cobalt and nickel used in lithium batteries. Aguon raised concerns about BOEM’s legal authority, saying the framework was designed for oil and gas leasing, not deep-sea mining.
Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio urged residents to participate.
“Our ocean is not for sale,” Tenorio said. “We have this responsibility… to protect this for everybody after us.”
Attendees were provided computers and postcards to submit comments. Comments may be submitted through regulations.gov under docket BOEM-2025-0351-0001.