---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 1442"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "1442"
heading: "Effect of international agreement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/1442"
units:
  - "Chapter 26 — Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources"
  - "Subchapter II — Transition to International Agreement"
---

# §1442. Effect of international agreement


If an [international agreement](/usc/30/1403.md?p=7) enters into force with respect to the [United States](/usc/30/1403.md?p=13), any provision of subchapter I, this subchapter, or subchapter III, and any regulation issued under any such provision, which is not inconsistent with such [international agreement](/usc/30/1403.md?p=7) shall continue in effect with respect to [United States citizens](/usc/30/1403.md?p=14). In the implementation of such [international agreement](/usc/30/1403.md?p=7) the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12), in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall make every effort, to the maximum extent practicable consistent with the provisions of that agreement, to provide for the continued operation of [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) and [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) activities undertaken by [United States citizens](/usc/30/1403.md?p=14) prior to entry into force of the agreement. The [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) shall submit to the Congress, within one year after the date of such entry into force, a report on the actions taken by the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) under this section, which report shall include, but not be limited to—

- (1) a description of the status of [deep seabed](/usc/30/1403.md?p=4) mining operations of [United States citizens](/usc/30/1403.md?p=14) under the [international agreement](/usc/30/1403.md?p=7); and
- (2) an assessment of whether [United States citizens](/usc/30/1403.md?p=14) who were engaged in [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) or [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) on the date such agreement entered into force have been permitted to continue their operations.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–283, title II, § 202, June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 576.)