§ 1417. — Duration of licenses and permits.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 30USC1417]
TITLE 30--MINERAL LANDS AND MINING
CHAPTER 26--DEEP SEABED HARD MINERAL RESOURCES
SUBCHAPTER I--REGULATION OF EXPLORATION AND COMMERCIAL RECOVERY BY
UNITED STATES CITIZENS
Sec. 1417. Duration of licenses and permits
(a) Duration of a license
Each license for exploration shall be issued for a period of 10
years. If the licensee has substantially complied with the license and
the exploration plan associated therewith and has requested extensions
of the license, the Administrator shall extend the license on terms,
conditions, and restrictions consistent with this chapter and the
regulations issued under this chapter for periods of not more than 5
years each.
(b) Duration of a permit
Each permit for commercial recovery shall be issued for a term of 20
years and for so long thereafter as hard mineral resources are recovered
annually in commercial quantities from the area to which the recovery
plan associated with the permit applies. The permit of any permittee who
is not recovering hard mineral resources in commercial quantities at the
end of 10 years shall be terminated; except that the Administrator shall
for good cause shown, including force majeure, adverse economic
conditions, unavoidable delays in construction, major unanticipated
vessel repairs that prevent the permittee from conducting commercial
recovery activities during an annual period, or other circumstances
beyond the control of the permittee, extend the 10-year period, but not
beyond the initial 20-year term of the permit.
(Pub. L. 96-283, title I, Sec. 107, June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 567.)
