Analysis by Energy Workforce President Tim Tarpley
Over the past week, two more significant executive orders have been released by the White House that are relevant to our industry. The first EO aims to open up a new frontier for undersea mining. Large-scale deep-sea mining has never really been done, but many companies, including EWTC companies, have pushed to open up the process for permitting. Proponents believe that the seabed could be rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, and copper, vital materials for energy, weapons and consumer uses. China currently controls large amounts of these critical minerals and is able to use its control as leverage in disputes with other countries. We have already seen this leverage used in our current trade negotiations.
The EO directs the Commerce secretary to expedite permits within 60 days for commercial undersea exploration and mining and directs the Interior secretary to create a program to allow for mining off U.S. coasts. The order uses authorization for the mining permits from the Deep Seabed Hard Minerals Act of 1980. EWTC companies that operate support services for offshore oil and gas drilling will be primed to be some of the first to benefit from these activities should they take off and become commercially viable, considering the many decades of investments in underwater technology and experience that will be vital in a successful program.
Truck Drivers Required to Speak English Under New EO
Under a newly released EO, commercial truck drivers within the United States must be able to read and speak English “sufficiently to converse with the general public” to operate any commercial vehicle. To follow up with the EO, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will issue new guidance on English proficiency testing and enforcement policies under the order. If a driver violates the proficiency requirement, they will be put “out-of-service” and unable to continue driving commercially. The full implications of this order cannot be determined until the full guidance is released, but there could be some disruptions to the oilfield in areas where Spanish speakers are common. Additional details will be found here as they develop.
Tim Tarpley, Energy Workforce President, analyzes federal policy for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
