Section 232 Investigations: Upcoming Comment Deadlines for Semiconductors and Critical Minerals
The U.S. Department of Commerce has two active Section 232 national-security investigations open for public comment, until May 7 for semiconductors and May 16 for critical minerals.
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment
- Federal Register Notice: 90 FR 16834 (Apr. 16, 2025)
- Comment Deadline: May 7, 2025
- Scope: Chips, wafers, substrates, legacy and leading-edge devices, and related production equipment.
- Federal Register Notice: 90 FR 17372 (Apr. 25, 2025)
- Comment Deadline: May 16, 2025
- Scope: Refined or processed lithium, nickel, cobalt, rare-earth elements, graphite, and downstream compounds.
Why This Matters
Semiconductors power onboard electronics and propulsion controls, while critical minerals are essential for lithium-ion batteries, engine catalysts, and other marine components. The outcomes of these investigations may lead to new tariffs, quotas or other remedies.
How to Participate
Interested stakeholders can submit written comments through Regulations.gov using the docket links provided in each Federal Register notice. Comments may address import volumes, domestic capacity, supply-chain vulnerabilities, or any other information relevant to national security under Section 232.
NMMA is preparing sector-specific comments and will track both investigations as they progress. Members with data or perspectives to share are encouraged to contact Clay Crabtree, Senior Director of Public Policy at [email protected] by May 3 for potential inclusion in NMMA’s filings. We will provide further updates when the Commerce Department announces public-hearing dates or preliminary findings.
Don’t forget to register now to join the conversation in person at the 2025 American Boating Congress, May 12–14 in Washington, D.C., where trade and tariff policy will play a central role in the agenda.