Page 26: of Marine News Magazine (March 2021)

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Feature

Inland Waterways [Keeping WRDA on a two- year legislative cycle] has made the legislative process for project authorizations ef? cient and predictable, which is meaningful for those of us in the supply chain business.” – Bill Hanson, Senior Vice President,

GLDD

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock

Dredging • Identifying projects suitable for—or requiring—

WRDA sets new policy and funding directives to ad- the placement of dredged material, and vance dredging projects. Policy changes allow greater use estimating capacity; of HMTF money for dredging, for example, in an expand- • Evaluating the bene? ts of using dredged material; ed number of harbors. The Corps can now accept money • Preparing bene? cial use goals, including expected from states or other non-federal interests for dredging or cost savings; and, related technical assistance. The Corps is directed to prior- • A description of potential projects identi? ed itize reissuing expiring regional general permits for main- through stakeholder solicitation and coordination.

tenance dredging. That last bullet is important because a public comment

WRDA 2020 renews Congress’ commitment to ben- requirement is separately listed in the bill. Congress wants e? cial use. WRDA establishes a “National Policy on the “stakeholders” to have the chance to examine the ? ve-year

Bene? cial Use of Dredged Material.” These aren’t all new plans “to ensure, to the extent practicable, that bene? cial concepts and initiatives. Again, though, expansion is im- use of dredged mate-rial is not foregone in a particular ? s- portant. WRDA increases bene? cial use demonstration cal year or dredging cycle.” projects from 20 to 35. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLDD) has

Another new WRDA demand is that each Corps Dis- tracked WRDA’s progress and completion. GLDD senior trict Commander is required to develop a ? ve-year regional vice president Bill Hanson noted that WRDA 2020 au- dredged material management plan, due in one year, and thorized more than 40 dredging projects, including the then updated annually. Houston Ship Channel. Beyond speci? c projects, though,

The plans need to address the following: Hanson cited the larger importance of keeping WRDA • Dredging budgets; on a two-year legislative cycle. “It has made the legislative • Estimating material volumes over a ? ve-year period; process for project authorizations ef? cient and predict- 26 | MN March 2021