[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR971.209]

[Page 348]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
CHAPTER IX--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                               OF COMMERCE
 
PART 971_DEEP SEABED MINING REGULATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL RECOVERY PERMITS--Table 
of Contents
 
                         Subpart B_Applications
 
Sec. 971.209  Processing outside the United States.

    (a) Except as provided in this section and Sec. 971.408, the 
processing of hard minerals recovered pursuant to a permit shall be 
conducted within the U.S., provided that the President or his designee 
does not determine that this restriction contravenes the overriding 
national interests of the United States.
    (b) If foreign processing is proposed, the applicant shall submit a 
justification demonstrating the basis for a finding pursuant to Sec. 
971.408(a)(1). The justification shall include an analysis of each 
factor which the applicant considers essential to its conclusion that 
processing at a site within the U.S. is not economically viable.
    (c) If the Administrator determines that the justification provided 
by the applicant is insufficient, or if the Administrator receives 
during the public comment or hearing period what the Administrator 
determines to be a serious alternative U.S. processing site proposal, 
the Administrator may require the applicant to supply, within a 
specified reasonable time, additional information relevant to the Sec. 
971.408(a)(1) finding.
    (d) The applicant must include in its application satisfactory 
assurances that such resources after processing, to the extent of the 
permittee's ownership therein, will be returned to the United States for 
domestic use if the Administrator determines pursuant to Sec. 971.408 
that the national interest necessitates such return. Assurances must 
include proposed arrangements with the host country.

                               Procedures