[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6026 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6026

 To modify the project for navigation, Mississippi River Ship Channel, 
   Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2012

 Mr. Richmond introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To modify the project for navigation, Mississippi River Ship Channel, 
   Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dredging for Restoration and 
Economic Development for Global Exports Act of 2012'' or the ``DREDGE 
Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. MISSISSIPPI RIVER SHIP CHANNEL, GULF OF MEXICO TO BATON ROUGE, 
              LOUISIANA.

    (a) Project Modification.--The project for navigation, Mississippi 
River Ship Channel, Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 
authorized by section 201 of the Water Resources Development Act of 
1986 (100 Stat. 4090), is modified as follows:
            (1) To direct the Secretary of the Army to achieve, 
        operate, and maintain a navigation channel of 50 feet with 
        respect to the portion of the project from Baton Rouge to the 
        Southwest Pass sea buoy.
            (2) To direct the Secretary to complete the work required 
        under paragraph (1) not later than the last day of the third 
        fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this Act 
        (completing at least one-third of such work in each of the 
        first 2 fiscal years beginning after such date of enactment).
            (3) To direct the Secretary to conduct a pilot disposal and 
        sediment project in the Southwest Pass area to determine the 
        cost-effectiveness of pump-out disposal operations for hopper 
        dredges for--
                    (A) environmental enhancement; and
                    (B) dredged material disposal.
    (b) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (a)(3), the Secretary 
shall consult with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies and 
stakeholders to determine the safe placement and timing of pump-out 
disposal operations that protect, create, restore, and nourish coastal 
wetlands and aquatic habitat.
    (c) Treatment of Costs.--All costs of the work required under 
subsection (a) shall be treated as operation and maintenance costs, 
including the first costs of achieving a navigation channel of 50 feet.
    (d) Federal Share.--Notwithstanding section 101(b)(1) of the Water 
Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2211(b)(1)), the Federal 
share of the cost of the work required under subsection (a) shall be 
100 percent.
    (e) Funding.--Notwithstanding section 210 of the Water Resources 
Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2238) or section 9505 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Secretary shall pay 100 percent of 
the costs of the work required under subsection (a) out of amounts made 
available to the Secretary from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for 
operation and maintenance expenses.
    (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
on--
            (1) the cost and the environmental, storm damage reduction, 
        and social benefits of the pump-out disposal operation carried 
        out under subsection (a)(3), as compared to standard dredging 
        practices for the area; and
            (2) the total quantity of dredge material produced during 
        operation and maintenance activities in the New Orleans 
        District and the quantity that is beneficially used.
    (g) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this section 
may be construed to affect the authority of the Secretary with respect 
to the width of the project referred to in subsection (a).
                                 <all>