[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 5763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02613]



[[Page 5763]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers


Request for Proposals for Beneficial Use of Dredged Material 
Pursuant to Section 1122 of the Water Resources Development Act, 
Beneficial Use of Dredged Material

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice; request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: Section 1122 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 
2016 requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) establish a 
pilot program to recommend ten projects for the beneficial use of 
dredged material. The USACE is requesting proposals for beneficial use 
of dredged material projects.

DATES: Proposals must be submitted to Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers on or before March 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit proposals by any of the following methods:
     Mail: Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Directorate of Civil Works, Operations and Regulatory Community of 
Practice, Attn: CECW-CO-OD, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20314.
     Email: [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Joseph Wilson, Environmental 
Dredging Program Manager, at 202-761-7697, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1122 of WRDA 2016 requires the USACE 
establish a pilot program to carry out 10 projects for the beneficial 
use of dredged material, including projects for the purposes of--
    (1) Reducing storm damage to property and infrastructure;
    (2) promoting public safety;
    (3) protecting, restoring, and creating aquatic ecosystem habitats;
    (4) stabilizing stream systems and enhancing shorelines;
    (5) promoting recreation;
    (6) supporting risk management adaptation strategies; and
    (7) reducing the costs of dredging and dredged material placement 
or disposal, such as projects that use dredged material for--
    (A) construction or fill material;
    (B) civic improvement objectives; and
    (C) other innovative uses and placement alternatives that produce 
public economic or environmental benefits.
    The USACE has developed implementation guidance for carrying out 
the provisions of Section 1122. That implementation guidance can be 
obtained at http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Project-Planning/Legislative-Links/wrda2016/wrda2016_impguide. Search Section 
1122(a)-(h) for links to the implementation guidance and other Section 
1122 information.
    The USACE is required to carry out the pilot program in 
consultation with relevant state agencies and to establish regional 
beneficial use teams to identify and assist in the implementation of 
projects.
    Projects identified under Section 1122 must maximize the beneficial 
placement of dredged material from Federal and non-Federal navigation 
channels and incorporate, to the maximum extent practicable, two or 
more Federal navigation, flood control, storm damage reduction, or 
environmental restoration projects. Section 1122 also requires 
coordination and mobilization of dredges and related equipment, 
including the use of efficiencies in contracting and environmental 
approvals as can be implemented under existing laws and regulations.
    Implementation must foster Federal and State and local 
collaboration; implement best practices to maximize the beneficial use 
of dredged sand and other sediments; and ensure that the use of dredged 
material is consistent with all applicable environmental laws.
    Projects carried out under Section 1122 will be subject to the 
cost-sharing requirements applicable to projects carried out under 
Section 204 of the Continuing Authorities Program. However, for 
projects under the pilot program that use dredged material from federal 
navigation projects, Section 1122(e)(2) provides the incremental costs 
above the federal standard for transportation and depositing such 
dredged material will be borne entirely by the federal government. If 
such pilot projects involve additional activities other than 
transportation and placement of dredged material, such as wetland 
plantings or mechanical shaping of dunes and beach berms, those project 
costs will be shared in accordance with the cost sharing requirements 
of Section 204. If additional material is dredged from a federal 
navigation project solely for purposes of a pilot project, the costs 
associated with the additional dredging will be cost-shared with the 
non-federal sponsor of the pilot project in accordance with Section 
204. If a pilot project relies on dredged material from a non-federal 
navigation project, the dredging and transportation costs will be 100 
percent non-federal; all other costs associated with the pilot project 
will be cost-shared in accordance with Section 204.
    Within two years the Secretary is to submit a report to the 
Congress that includes:
    (1) A description of the projects selected to be carried out under 
the pilot program;
    (2) documentation supporting each of the projects selected;
    (3) the findings of regional beneficial use teams regarding project 
selection; and
    (4) any recommendations of the Secretary or regional beneficial use 
teams with respect to the pilot program.
    The pilot program terminates after completion of the 10 beneficial 
use projects.
    Entities submitting proposals for a project must include the 
following information:
    1. Name and location of the proposed project.
    2. Purpose of the proposed project (see paragraph 5 of the 
Implementation Guidance).
    3. Description of the proposed project, including more detail on 
how material will be used beneficially to meet project purposes 
identified in 2 above.
    4. The name of all non-federal interests planning to act as the 
sponsor, including any non-federal interest that has contributed to or 
is expected to contribute toward the non-federal share of the proposed 
beneficial use project.
    5. List the authorized U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) water 
resources development project(s) that the proposed beneficial use 
project is associated with.
    6. Provide an estimate, to the extent practicable, of the total 
beneficial use project cost, and the federal and non-federal share of 
those costs.
    7. Describe, to the extent practicable, an estimate of the 
anticipated monetary and non-monetary benefits of the proposed 
beneficial use project with regard to the environmental, economic, and 
social benefits of the project.
    8. Describe if local support exists for the proposal.
    9. Statement of the non-federal interest's financial ability to 
provide a share of the project costs.

    Dated: February 5, 2018.
Thomas P. Smith,
Chief Operations and Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2018-02613 Filed 2-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P