Pago Pago, American Samoa — Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula has established a Deep-Sea Minerals (DSM) Steering Committee to oversee how the territory evaluates and manages deep-sea mineral activity. He set it up in a May 7 letter to his cabinet.
The committee gives American Samoa a standing structure to engage with the critical minerals economy. In the letter, the Governor tied it directly to economic diversification and to a specific logistics role: “potential participation in the transshipment of critical minerals from the Cook Islands and international waters to the United States.” That positions the territory as a possible processing and shipping hub, not only an extraction site.
The Governor said the committee will provide “high-level strategic oversight, coordination, and policy guidance to ensure that any DSM-related activities align with our core values of environmental stewardship, cultural integrity, community well-being, economic prosperity and full compliance with local, federal, and international obligations.”
Structure
Seven subcommittees support the Steering Committee, each with two co-chairs:
- Infrastructure (Port Administration, Public Works): port upgrades, transportation logistics, supporting technology.
- Revenue Sharing (Treasurer, Attorney General): track federal policy and push for fair returns to American Samoa if commercial extraction advances.
- Economic Development Opportunities (ASEDA, Commerce): investment, jobs, business development, supply-chain opportunities.
- Workforce Development (Human Resources, American Samoa Community College): training and education pathways for DSM jobs.
- Environmental Sustainability (Marine and Wildlife Resources, Environmental Protection Agency): impact assessment and mitigation.
- Community Engagement and Education (Marine and Wildlife Resources, Education): consultation and public education.
- Legal and Regulatory Affairs (Attorney General, Governor’s Office Legal Counsel): coordination with federal agencies, international partners, and Pacific neighbors.
Michael McDonald, Assistant Director of Port Administration, remains Senior Policy Advisor on Deep-Sea Minerals. He runs day-to-day operations, works with each subcommittee, and reports to the Governor.
The Governor closed the letter saying the structure “will enable focused, coordinated, and accountable progress” and asked cabinet members to participate fully.
Federal context
The Department of the Interior has set aside $270,000 for public education on deep-sea mining in American Samoa, announced by Deputy Assistant Secretary Katherine MacGregor in her Flag Day speech on April 17, 2026. That funding is expected to support the committee and its subcommittees.
The committee fits a broader U.S. push to secure allied supplies of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and rare earths, and to reduce dependence on supply chains dominated by strategic competitors.
Companies active in the sector
The deep-sea minerals space is drawing a growing field of public and private companies. Most are targeting the same waters tied to American Samoa’s plan: the Cook Islands EEZ and U.S.-regulated areas of the Pacific. None has begun commercial production, so the activity is still at the permitting, exploration, and dealmaking stage.
| Company | Ticker | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| TMC the metals company | Nasdaq: TMC | NOAA found its exploration and recovery application in substantial compliance (March 2026); ~65,000 km2 of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. |
| Odyssey Marine Exploration | Nasdaq: OMEX | Filed a U.S. offshore lease request (BOEM review); deployed landers in the Cook Islands EEZ; merging with American Ocean Minerals. |
| American Ocean Minerals | Nasdaq: AOMC (post-merger) | Albanese-led; Cook Islands, CCZ, and Penrhyn licenses; two U.S. applications over 1.4B tonnes inferred. All-stock Odyssey merger valued at ~$1B, targeting close late Q2 or early Q3 2026. |
| Deep Sea Minerals Corp | CSE: SEAS / OTCQB: DSEAF / FSE: X450 | Ex-Copperhead Resources; pursuing Cook Islands concession and a U.S. NOAA license; no permits yet. |
| Impossible Metals | Private (no ticker) | Applied for a lease offshore American Samoa; builds selective nodule-collection robots; partnered with ReElement on processing. |
