When American Samoa overwhelmingly rejected deep-sea mining earlier this year, many believed their position would be decisive. But despite unified opposition from government leaders, cultural practitioners, and local communities, the final decision may still be made in Washington, D.C. — not Pago Pago.
That reality should alarm us in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, where the federal government has now opened the door to seabed mineral leasing in our own waters. And with only one week left before the public comment period closes, the CNMI faces a moment as consequential as American Samoa’s.
The Lesson From American Samoa
At community meetings in Utulei, American Samoans voiced fierce opposition to mining. Residents spoke about culture, identity, fisheries, and the deep relational ties between people and ocean. Their congressional representative emphasized that these waters are embedded in fa‘a Samoa, carrying the stories of the shark and turtle that define their origins.
Yet mining executives acknowledged openly that Indigenous opposition may not stop the process. Federal officials can still proceed — even over the objections of the people who will bear the consequences.
The CNMI is in the same legal position.
And we must understand that clearly.
A Community Not United — But Still Deserving of a Voice
Unlike what some may assume, the Marianas are not unanimously against deep-sea mining. Our community is divided:
Some believe mining offers a rare economic lifeline.
Some fear environmental destruction.
Some feel trapped between rising costs and limited job opportunities.
Others simply do not trust federal or environmental institutions.
These concerns are real, valid, and rooted in lived experience. Nobody should be shamed for wanting economic stability.
But acknowledging those economic struggles does not require surrendering our right to shape our future. Whether one supports or opposes mining, our voices must be recorded now, before decisions are made without us.
What’s at Stake for Chamorros and Refaluwasch
For Chamorro and Refaluwasch families, the ocean is not an abstract space, a commodity, or a distant frontier. It is the center of identity, navigation, food security, and history. It is where memory and responsibility meet.
American Samoa understood this clearly. Their leaders warned that mining threatens not only ecosystems, but cultural continuity and the fisheries that sustain their economy.
The CNMI faces identical risks — but we also face an opportunity:
to choose a future that does not pit culture against economy.
A Blue Frontier Instead of a Mining Frontier
There is another path forward. A Blue Frontier strategy — long championed across the Pacific
— offers sustainable economic growth without gambling with the deep sea.
It includes:
Maritime workforce development for island youth
Ocean tech and robotics training
Cultural navigation and canoe-building programs
Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture expansion
Research partnerships for marine science
Eco-cultural tourism grounded in Chamorro and Refaluwasch knowledge
These are practical, job-creating options.
They offer stability without risking biodiversity, fisheries, or cultural identity.
Deep-sea mining is not our only chance at prosperity. The ocean itself — cared for, not extracted — has always been our strength.
A Final Plea Before the Deadline
The BOEM comment period ends in one week.
You do not need to be an expert, scientist, or activist to submit a comment.
You only need to care about what happens to our islands.
Whether you are Chamorro, Refaluwasch, Filipino, Carolinian, Palauan, or part of the wider community — your perspective matters. Whether you support mining, oppose it, or are unsure — your voice still matters.
American Samoa spoke with clarity, even knowing they might be ignored. The CNMI should do the same.
Let no one say the people of the Marianas were silent. Not this time
