Right to Democracy and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition oppose deep seabed mining in American Samoa

A coalition of advocacy organizations and community leaders from across the United States territories is voicing strong opposition to proposed deep-seabed mining near American Samoa. In a joint petition, Right to Democracy and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition are urging the federal government to halt any unilateral exploration or extraction plans in the region’s waters.

The petition, submitted to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is backed by residents and diaspora from all five United States territories—American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. The coalition calls for immediate action to ensure Indigenous and territorial communities have a leading role in decisions that affect their marine environments and long-term sustainability.

Local leaders have emphasized the environmental, cultural, and democratic concerns tied to the issue.

“A logo i tai, ua logo i uta—what is felt in the ocean is felt in the land,” said Jaiyah Saelua of American Samoa. “Even the smallest disruptions in the ocean can have huge impacts on our lives.”

Sheila Babauta of the Northern Mariana Islands, a member of the cross-territorial coalition coordinated by Right to Democracy, said the ocean is central to Indigenous identity. “We stand with American Samoa to defend the very being that has sustained us for centuries,” she said, calling for Indigenous voices to guide ocean policy.

From Guam, Ahtoy Won-Pat Borja criticized the federal government’s approach: “Deep seabed mining threatens their communities with the kind of environmental harm whose effects will be felt by generations.”

Similar concerns were echoed by leaders from the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. “Many territories have stories of polluting industries that promise progress but leave lasting damage,” said Imani Daniel of the US Virgin Islands. Nayda Bobonis Cabrera of Puerto Rico added, “This reflects the day-to-day consequences of the undemocratic colonial-legal framework that governs our lives.”

Right to Democracy co-director Adi Martínez-Román emphasized that territorial communities have long suffered from extractive policies made without their consent. “This issue is deeply tied to legacies of colonial rule,” she said.

Angelo Villagomez, ocean co-lead for the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, underscored the stakes: “Thirty percent of all United States oceans are in the territories. The people living in the territories need to play a larger role in deciding what takes place in American waters.”

The petition urges the federal government to:

• Halt all unilateral deep-seabed mining proposals in American Samoa;
• Commit to Indigenous and community-led decision-making processes; and
• Invest in clean, sustainable alternatives that protect island ecosystems.

Supporters can sign the petition in support of American Samoa’s right to self-determination and environmental protection online.