More than 60,000 oppose deep sea mining near the Mariana Trench

Civil society organizations from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, alongside national partners, announced they submitted more than 60,000 petitions, letters, and public comments opposing plans by the Trump administration to allow deep-sea mining near the Mariana Trench.

The announcement was made during a webinar hosted by Right to Democracy and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition. Organizers said the submissions reflect coordinated opposition from communities across the Marianas and beyond to proposed mining activity in deep ocean waters.

According to figures shared during the webinar, a total of 60,084 submissions were collected through a combination of petitions, organizational letters, and community engagement efforts. These included petitions led by Earthjustice, Environment America, Greenpeace, Oceana, and Turtle Island Restoration Network, as well as letters and statements from scientific, academic, and local organizations in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Neil Weare, co-director of Right to Democracy, said the campaign reflects collective action across the territories.

“When people in United States territories come together, our strength and power is compounded,” Weare said. “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 at the Center for American Progress, said opposition in the Marianas mirrors broader resistance nationwide.

“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,” Villagomez said. “These sixty thousand voices are a testament to the importance of the ocean to Pacific Islanders.”

Sheila Babauta, chair of Friends of the Mariana Trench, emphasized the role of Indigenous knowledge and consent in environmental decision-making.

“This is a powerful reminder that Indigenous knowledge, community consent, and ecological stewardship must guide decisions that affect our oceans,” Babauta said. “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 of the Micronesia Climate Change Alliance said the volume of submissions reflects widespread concern in the region.

“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,” Hernandez said. “Our oceans are sacred. They are not a sacrifice zone. Prutehi i tasi.”

Dr. Steven Mana‘oakamai Johnson of Tåno, Tåsi, yan Todu also stressed the need for Indigenous participation and international standards.

“Decisions of this magnitude must be made with, not for, the communities who will bear the consequences of these actions, forever,” Johnson said.

The submissions included 24,641 petitions through Earthjustice, 12,300 from Environment America, 11,200 from Environmental Action, 3,514 from Greenpeace, and 5,484 collected jointly by Friends of the Mariana Trench, Micronesia Climate Change Alliance, Right to Democracy, and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, among others.