AsianFin -- U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at fast-tracking offshore mining and boosting the extraction of critical minerals from the ocean floor, overriding opposition from environmental groups.

The order instructs the Commerce Department to expedite permit reviews for deep-sea exploration and commercial mining under a 1980s-era law, senior White House officials confirmed Thursday. While the permits could extend beyond U.S. territorial waters, the move also opens the door to seabed mining in America’s coastal zones.

Under the directive, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will oversee a new approval system for seabed mining licenses in U.S. waters—using the same legal framework that regulates offshore oil drilling. The move comes as the administration seeks to reduce reliance on foreign sources of rare earth metals and other critical materials.