THE Friends of the Mariana Trench have condemned the federal government’s handling of the public comment period for its Request for Information on potential commercial leasing of Outer Continental Shelf minerals offshore the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management published the RFI in the Federal Register on Nov. 12, 2025, covering 35.48 million acres east of the Mariana Trench National Monument within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. The area includes abyssal plains, seamounts, and guyots at depths ranging from 3,700 to 25,100 feet.
The initial comment deadline of Dec. 12, 2025, was extended to Jan. 12, 2026, following requests from CNMI Gov. David Apatang, Guam Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero, and the congressional delegates of both territories. The officials had sought a 120-day extension to allow for meaningful public participation, but BOEM granted only an additional 30 days.
The Friends of the Mariana Trench, a nonprofit advocacy and conservation group based in the CNMI, said the revised timeline remains inadequate, noting that the comment period began during a federal government shutdown and runs through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. The group said this makes it nearly impossible for island communities to fully engage.
“Deep-sea mining could have irreversible impacts on our ocean and our way of life,” said board member Angelo Villagomez, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. “Our communities asked for 120 days because these decisions are complex and consequential. Instead, we were given a timeline that ignored our voices and our religious holidays.”
Board Chair Sheila Babuata, an environment and democracy fellow with Right to Democracy, said holding the comment period over Christmas disregards the faith and traditions of the majority of people in the Marianas.
“For many in the Marianas, Christmas is a sacred time for family and worship,” Babuata said. “To force public engagement during this season is a heavy burden and feels contrary to the values of respect and inclusion.”
Board member Tina Sablan added, “We all have a collective responsibility to be stewards of creation. Decisions about our ocean should reflect that responsibility and show respect for the people who live here.”
Despite the timing concerns, the organization encouraged residents of Guam and the CNMI to educate themselves about the issue and participate in the process as much as possible. The Friends of the Mariana Trench have created a Deep Sea Mining Resource Document and launched petitions for individuals and organizations to sign.
BOEM has emphasized that the RFI represents only the first step in a multi-stage process. The agency said the request does not guarantee leasing but could lead to further analysis and a competitive lease sale if sufficient interest is identified.
As of mid-December, BOEM reported receiving more than 850 public comments on the RFI through Regulations.gov under docket number BOEM-2025-0351. The agency said it will continue accepting submissions until Jan. 12, 2026.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
