The Trump administration is creating the Marine Minerals Administration to reunify oversight of offshore energy and seabed mining, reversing a split made after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster aimed at increasing environmental protection. Critics warn this could reintroduce conflicts of interest between promoting energy development and ensuring safety.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum argues the consolidation will "streamline bureaucracy" and speed approvals for new projects. The new office will also implement Trump's seabed mining agenda, with lease sales likely beginning next year despite environmental concerns about ocean ecosystem damage.

The controversial seabed mining industry seeks to harvest minerals including rare earths, cobalt, and copper used in batteries and electronics. No company currently holds a commercial license, though 40 governments have called for a moratorium. Impossible Metals, a seabed-mining startup, has resubmitted requests that were rejected under the Biden administration.