(Press Release) — During a webinar hosted by Right to Democracy and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, civil society organizations from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands announced they and their national partners collected over 60,000 petitions, letters, and comments in opposition to the Trump administration plans to allow deep sea mining near the Mariana Trench.
The organizers had this to say about the effort:
Neil Weare, co-director, Right to Democracy:
“When people in U.S. territories come together, our strength and power is compounded. We are proud to support communities across the Pacific to make sure their voices are heard. This is just the beginning.”
Angelo Villagomez, senior fellow, Center for American Progress:
“The Trump administration’s plans to sell out our public lands and waters are just as unpopular in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as they are in the rest of the country. These sixty thousand voices are a testament to the importance of the ocean to Pacific Islanders.”
Sheila Babauta, chair, Friends of the Mariana Trench
“This is a powerful reminder that indigenous knowledge, community consent, and ecological stewardship must guide decisions that affect our oceans. Deep sea mining threatens ecosystems we are only beginning to understand and violates our inherent rights to protect our lands and waters from irreversible harm. The Mariana Trench is not an empty frontier for extraction — it is a sacred place, a living relative, and part of our ancestral responsibility to protect life for future generations.”
Maria Hernandez, Micronesia Climate Change Alliance
“This outpouring reflects widespread concern for the protection of our sacred ocean regions. Our communities in the Marianas are making it clear that decisions made about our ocean cannot be made without our right to free, prior, and informed consent. This 60,000 petitions, letters, and comments send a clear message: Our oceans are sacred. They are not a sacrifice zone. Prutehi i tasi.”
Dr. Steven Mana‘oakamai Johnson, Tåno, Tåsi, yan Todu
“This process must honor the rights of Indigenous peoples, incorporate local expertise, and meet international standards for free, prior, and informed consent. The ocean is a shared heritage that has sustained life and culture in the Marianas Islands for generations. Decisions of this magnitude must be made with, not for, the communities who will bear the consequences of these actions, forever.”
