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holiday, and various privileges and immunities not enjoyed by 

 private firms. 



19. How do you expect the issue of "grandfather rights" 

 to be resolved? 



— Will it simply be acceptance of the "preparatory 

 investment protection "proposal or some other proposal to 

 ensure the rights of those already investing in seabed mining? 



A. Title II of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources 



Act imposes an obligation on the Administration to protect 



the rights of U.S. citizens who commence ocean mining under 



the domestic law. We will honor that obligation. Whether 



or not the "preparatory investment protection" proposal of 



the previous administration would accomplish this will be the 



subject of intepsive scrutiny in our current review. 



20. What happens if a successfully negotiated treaty is 

 not ratified by the United States? 



— How wouuld that affect the operations of the Deep Seabed 

 Authority and those private enterprises operating under the U.S. 

 deep seabed mining law? 



A. The U.S. is not bound by a treaty it signs but does 



not ratify. Only through a treaty which enters into force 



for the U.S. will there be any limitations on the right of U.S. 



miners to mine the deep seabed as an exercise of their high 



seas freedoms under existing international law. If a Law of 



the Sea Treaty is not ratified by the United States, mining 



companies would be free to proceed with their operations 



under licenses and permits issued by NOAA. 



