The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”) is “accelerating” its efforts to revive deep-sea mining, regulated in the United States under the once-dormant Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (“DSHMRA”). We...more
Certain areas of the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction are rich in deposits of polymetallic nodules, which contain concentrations of critical minerals important for industrial development such as nickel, copper,...more
On January 21, 2026, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”) published a final rule consolidating the process for U.S. companies to obtain exploration licenses and permits for commercial recovery of...more
On January 21, 2026, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published a final rule revising its regulations governing deep seabed mining under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980 (DSHMRA). ...more
On December 23, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) formally announced receipt and commencement of public review of exploration license applications for deep seabed mining under the Deep Seabed...more
In Manutek Inc., B-423476.2, et al. (Jan. 1, 2026), Manutek protested the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s decision not to award it an IDIQ contract for professional, scientific and technical services under...more
On October 28, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sent a draft rule to the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that would streamline the NOAA permitting...more
With the rapid and exponential advancement of modern technology, there is a corresponding increase in demand for the foundational raw materials that enable such progress. Contemporary innovations, including electric vehicles,...more
On August 13, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) that is poised to dramatically reshape the regulatory landscape for the U.S. commercial space industry. Titled “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space...more
There have been more changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) and its implementing regulations in the past nine months than perhaps at any point since NEPA was signed into law by President Nixon on January 1,...more
On August 1, 2025, the Senate approved Brian Nesvik, President Trump’s nominee for Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). The Service shares responsibility for administering the Endangered Species Act of...more
As part of our ongoing monitoring of international and domestic legal developments, this article provides an update on the International Seabed Authority’s (“ISA”) Council Part II of the 30th Session and the National Oceanic...more
Good Afternoon! It’s been a busy couple of weeks in the orbit of Washington. President Trump nominated a new NASA Administrator, and the “Big Beautiful Bill” gave Space Force a big budget bump. Meanwhile, scientists and the...more
Hurricane season is officially underway, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting an above-normal season. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and the agency is estimating...more
On May 15, 2025, the FERC’s Office of Energy Policy and Innovation, in coordination with the Office of Electric Reliability, released their 2025 Summer Energy Market and Electric Reliability Assessment, highlighting key...more
As global demand for critical minerals intensifies — driven by the energy transition, technological innovation, and geopolitical competition — deep-sea mining has emerged as a potential frontier in resource development. At...more
President Donald Trump on April 24, 2025, issued an executive order, "Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources" (the EO), that aims to promote the development of offshore critical minerals in the oceans...more
The Trump administration is moving to effectively eliminate a crucial protection in the half-century-old federal Endangered Species Act by redefining a single word: harm. A proposed rule, issued this Wednesday from the U.S....more
On April 17, 2025, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act...more
Space has become central to protecting U.S. national security interests as Americans increasingly rely on space-based services to support everyday life. As a result, the U.S. government has bolstered investment in the space...more
The 18th annual edition of the “NRD State Guide” has now been published . For nearly two decades, this Guide has provided companies, private practitioners, government officials, and researchers with a comprehensive overview...more
Good Afternoon! It has been another busy two weeks in space law and policy! SpaceX delivered a new crew (including the first Space Force Guardian in orbit) and two empty seats to the ISS. Meanwhile, back on earth, the U.S....more
June 2024 broke global records as the hottest month according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) 175-year dataset. It was also the 13th month in a row of record-high temperatures, tying the...more
Good Afternoon! This is Akin’s biweekly policy newsletter on space policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major space headlines and forthcoming space-related events and hearings...more
Good morning! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past week and forthcoming climate-related events and hearings...more