Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
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e-CFR data is current as of January 15, 2021 |
Title 15 → Subtitle B → Chapter IX → Subchapter D → Part 970 → Subpart E → Subject Group |
Title 15: Commerce and Foreign Trade
PART 970—DEEP SEABED MINING REGULATIONS FOR EXPLORATION LICENSES
Subpart E—Issuance/Transfer/Terms, Conditions and Restrictions
Terms, Conditions, and Restrictions
§970.517 Diligence requirements.
The terms, conditions and restrictions in each exploration license must include provisions to assure diligent development. The Administrator will establish these pursuant to §970.602.
§970.518 Environmental protection requirements.
(a) Each exploration license must contain such terms, conditions and restrictions, established by the Administrator, which prescribe actions the licensee must take in the conduct of exploration activities to assure protection of the environment. The Administrator will establish these pursuant to §970.702.
(b) Before establishing the terms, conditions and restrictions pertaining to environmental protection, the Administrator will consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating. He also will take into account and give due consideration to the information contained in the final EIS prepared with respect to that proposed license.
§970.519 Resource conservation requirements.
For the purpose of conservation of natural resources, each license issued under this part will contain, as needed, terms, conditions and restrictions which have due regard for the prevention of waste and the future opportunity for the commercial recovery of the unrecovered balance of the hard mineral resources in the license area. The Administrator will establish these pursuant to §970.603.
§970.520 Freedom of the high seas requirements.
Each license issued under this part must include such restrictions as may be necessary and appropriate to ensure that the exploration activities do not unreasonably interfere with the interests of other nations in their exercise of the freedoms of the high seas, as recognized under general principles of international law, such as fishing, navigation, submarine pipeline and cable laying, and scientific research. The Administrator will consider the provisions in §970.503 in establishing these restrictions.
§970.521 Safety at sea requirements.
The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, in consultation with the Administrator, will require in any license issued under this part, in conformity with principles of international law, that vessels documented under the laws of the United States and used in activities authorized under the license comply with conditions regarding the design, construction, alteration, repair, equipment, operation, manning and maintenance relating to vessel and crew safety and the promotion of safety of life and property at sea. These requirements will be established with reference to subpart H of this part.
§970.522 Monitoring requirements.
Each exploration license must require the licensee:
(a) To allow the Administrator to place appropriate Federal officers or employees as observers aboard vessels used by the licensee in exploration activities to:
(1) Monitor such activities at such time, and to such extent, as the Administrator deems reasonable and necessary to assess the effectiveness of the terms, conditions, and restrictions of the license; and
(2) Report to the Administrator whenever such officers or employees have reason to believe there is a failure to comply with such terms, conditions, and restrictions;
(b) To cooperate with such officers and employees in the performance of monitoring functions; and
(c) To monitor the environmental effects of the exploration activities in accordance with a monitoring plan approved and issued by the Administrator as license terms, conditions and restrictions, and to submit such information as the Administrator finds to be necessary and appropriate to assess environmental impacts and to develop and evaluate possible methods of mitigating adverse environmental effects. This environmental monitoring plan and reporting will respond to the concerns and procedures discussed in Subpart G of this part.
§970.523 Special terms, conditions, and restrictions.
Although the general criteria and standards to be used in establishing terms, conditions, and restrictions for a license are set forth in this part, as referenced in §§970.517 through 970.522, the Administrator may impose special terms, conditions, and restrictions for the conservation of natural resources, protection of the environment, or the safety of life and property at sea when required by differing physical and environmental conditions.
§970.524 Other Federal requirements.
Pursuant to §970.211, another Federal agency, upon review of an exploration license application submitted under this part, may indicate how terms, conditions, and restrictions might be added to the license, to assure compliance with any law or regulation within that agency's area of responsibility. In response to the intent, reflected in section 103(e) of the Act, to reduce the number of separate actions to satisfy the statutory responsibilities of these agencies, the Administrator may include such terms, conditions, and restrictions in a license.