Seabed mineral mining off Virginia's coast considered by Trump administration

Maggie Allwein, The Virginian-Pilot on Jun 22, 2026

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The Trump administration is considering whether to open federal waters off Virginia’s coast to seabed mining.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced Monday it is putting forth a request for information and interest, or an RFI, regarding seabed mining along the majority of the Eastern Shore. Seabed mining is the extraction of critical mineral resources from the ocean floor, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The purpose of the RFI is to gage industry and public interest, in order to guide future decisions about potential leasing areas, according to BOEM. The proposed mining area begins southeast of the Eastern Shore in the North Atlantic, and ends before the Maryland border.

“The initiative underscores the Trump administration’s goal to boost domestic mineral production and reduce reliance on imports,” BOEM said in a news release announcing the RFI. “By identifying opportunities offshore Virginia, BOEM aims to strengthen supply chains critical to manufacturing, defense, and emerging technologies.”

The RFI will be published Tuesday in the Federal Register, kicking off a 30-day public comment period that ends July 23. Comments can be submitted at www.regulations.gov by searching for docket number BOEM-2026-0100.

The RFI comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last April that outlines steps government agencies should take to “advance Unite States leadership” in seabed mineral resources.

The RFI does not specify which exact minerals would be mined. But one company has already expressed an interest in the coast of Virginia. In November, Odyssey Marine Exploration filed an unsolicited request with BOEM seeking a lease sale of marine mineral exploration and development rights. Odyssey’s request says the area is “highly prospective for heavy mineral sands” rich in titanium, zirconium, rare earth elements, and phosphate.

Environmental groups, including the Southern Environmental Law Center, or SELC, and the Center for Biological Diversity, have outwardly opposed the potential seabed mining.

According to a SELC news release, mining in the proposed locations would involve “industrial-scale” dredging to remove sediment, which would destroy habitats, kill wildlife, and create impact far beyond the site.

“We know it takes decades for life at the bottom of the ocean to recover from even the most basic disruptions,” Rachel Mathews, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement. “Mining damage could ripple out to marine life at all depths…and (hurt) the Commonwealth’s coastal economy.”

The BOEM news release said any mineral resource removal is conducted in a safe and environmentally sound manner. If BOEM decides there is enough interest, next steps would include identifying potential lease areas, a proposed leasing notice and a final leasing notice 30 days before a sale.

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