Army Corps requests proposals for Beneficial Use of Dredged Material

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has published its request for proposals for beneficial use of dredged material pilot projects pursuant to Section 1122 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016.

A small dredge pumps sand from a channel onto a Fort Lauderdale beach.

The USACE is looking to recommend 10 projects for the beneficial use of dredged material (BUDM) program that would allow for transport and placement of dredged material at full federal expense. Creating and implementing this program has been one of ASBPA’s top priorities over the past 2 years, because it would require the USACE to work more closely with states and stakeholders to make better use of dredged material from federal navigation projects. It will also help some local communities access beach quality sand that might otherwise be wasted. As a “Pilot Program” this will result in a report that recommends how USACE can better and more efficiently utilize dredged material going forward.

Proposals must be submitted to USACE on or before March 12, 2018.

Please review the request for proposals; if you have been trying to access dredged material from a federal navigation channel, consider submitting a project! 

More information on the program and solicitation can be found in the Federal Register notice, 83 Fed. Reg. 5763 (posted on Feb. 9, 2018).  It is available online at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/02/09/2018-02613/request-for-proposals-for-beneficial-use-of-dredged-material-pursuant-to-section-1122-of-the-water.

The pilot program can include projects for the purposes of:

• reducing storm damage to property and infrastructure;
• promoting public safety;
• protecting, restoring and creating aquatic ecosystem habitats;
• stabilizing stream systems and enhancing shorelines;
• promoting recreation;
• supporting risk management adaptation strategies; and
• reducing the costs of dredging and dredged material placement or disposal, such as projects that use dredged material for: construction or fill material; civic improvement objectives; and, other innovative uses and placement alternatives that produce public economic or environmental benefits.

Projects identified under Section 1122 must maximize the beneficial placement of dredged material from federal and non-federal navigation channels and ensure that the use of dredged material is consistent with all applicable environmental laws.  USACE is required to carry out the pilot program in consultation with relevant state agencies and to establish regional teams to assist in the evaluation of the proposals.

USACE implementation guidance (including selection criteria) for carrying out the provisions of Section 1122 and information on submitting a proposal can be found at http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Project-Planning/Legislative-Links/wrda2016/wrda2016_impguide/.

Finally, there has been some concern that this program could pull money away from the USACE navigation funding, but ASBPA believes this pilot program would have minimal impact on USACE’s ability to complete navigation projects. Using principles of Regional Sediment Management, we expect BUDM projects will be cost effective and add little to no additional costs to existing projects and any increased funding can be born from across the USACE budget lines.

Strong participation in the program will demonstrate to USACE, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and especially Congress the need to provide robust funding for interconnected navigation and coastal projects where dredging will provide be providing dual benefits – in both the removal of sediment and the placement (ideally on a beach!).