Page 10: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Jan/Feb 2018)

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INSIGHTS

U.S. Dredging Companies Advocate for

Ports, Waterways & Coastal Protection dredging companies are unlocking the to gather and analyze the best available environmental data so potential of U.S. Ports. These companies decision makers can be fully informed when making choices.

U.S. build their equipment in U.S. shipyards, This regulatory review process can take several years and has are owned by U.S. companies and staff their ships and proj- nothing to do with the dredging companies themselves. ects with hardworking Americans. U.S.-based Dredgers build The dredging companies are not the applicants for the dredg- to suit the needs of the United States. ing projects. Rather, a port authority or state agency generally acts as the applicant for a port dredging project. In accordance

Getting Started: Dredging Policy 101 with NEPA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is

We all know that it takes a signi? cant amount of time to usually the “Lead Federal Agency” with the responsibility of complete an environmental analysis before a dredging project evaluating the environmental impacts of a proposed dredging can commence. This usually means that an environmental im- project. As part of the NEPA process, state level agencies, the pact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the U.S. Environ-

Act of 1969 (NEPA) must be undertaken. mental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies

NEPA requires completion of an EIS for all federal govern- act as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS.

ment agency actions that could signi? cantly affect the environ- Once the NEPA review is completed, the Army Corps of ment. An EIS describes the positive and negative environmen- Engineers will usually put the port and/or harbor deepening tal effects of a proposed agency action and alternative actions. project out for bid. And, once awarded the dredging compa-

The NEPA process is designed to involve the public as well as nies will begin the project.

CREDIT: GLDD 10 Maritime Logistics Professional January/February 2018 | | 1-17 MLP JanFeb18.indd 10 1-17 MLP JanFeb18.indd 10 2/14/2018 3:41:29 PM2/14/2018 3:41:29 PM