TMC the Metals Co. Announces NOAA Notice of Intent to Prepare EIS

What Happened
TMC the Metals Co., Inc. (TMC) announced on August 17, 2026 (via an 8‑K, Item 7.01) that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS relates to the exploration license application submitted by TMC’s subsidiary, The Metals Company USA LLC, under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. The company furnished a press release dated August 17, 2026 as Exhibit 99.1 to the filing.

Key Details

• Date of disclosure: August 17, 2026 (Current Report on Form 8‑K, Item 7.01).
• Agency action: NOAA published a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in the Federal Register.
• Project/party: Exploration license application filed by The Metals Company USA LLC under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act.
• Filing exhibits: Press release dated August 17, 2026 (Exhibit 99.1) and an Inline XBRL cover page (Exhibit 104).

Why It Matters
This is a procedural but important regulatory step: the initiation of an EIS signals that NOAA intends to conduct a formal, in‑depth environmental review of the subsidiary’s exploration license application. For investors, that means the project will enter a detailed permitting and environmental review phase that can affect timing, required studies, public comment processes, and regulatory outcomes. The 8‑K does not report approvals, financial results, or changes to management—only that NOAA has begun the EIS process.