Regional sediment management

For sediment obtained through or used in the construction, operation, or maintenance of an authorized Federal water resources project, including a project authorized for flood control, the Secretary shall develop, at Federal expense, regional sediment management plans and carry out projects at locations identified in plans developed under this section, or identified jointly by the non-Federal interest and the Secretary, for use in the construction, repair, modification, or rehabilitation of projects, including projects for the beneficial use of dredged materials described in section 1122 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (33 U.S.C. 2326 note),11 See References in Text note below. associated with Federal water resources projects for purposes listed in paragraph (3). For purposes of projects carried out under this section, the Secretary may include sediment from other Federal sources and non-Federal sources, subject to the requirement that any sediment obtained from a non-Federal source shall not be obtained at Federal expense. The Secretary shall develop plans under this subsection in cooperation with the appropriate Federal, State, regional, and local agencies. The purposes of using sediment for the construction, repair, modification, or rehabilitation of Federal water resources projects are— To reduce or avoid Federal costs, the Secretary shall consider the beneficial use of dredged material in a manner that contributes to the maintenance of sediment resources in the nearby coastal system. Subject to subsection (c), projects carried out under subsection (a) may be carried out in any case in which the Secretary finds that— Costs associated with construction of a project under this section or identified in a regional sediment management plan shall be limited solely to construction costs that are in excess of the costs necessary to carry out the dredging for construction, operation, or maintenance of an authorized Federal water resources project in the most cost-effective way, consistent with economic, engineering, and environmental criteria. Except as provided in clause (ii), the non-Federal share of the construction cost of a project under this section shall be determined as provided in subsections (a) through (d) of section 2213 of this title. Construction of a project under this section for one or more of the purposes of protection, restoration, or creation of aquatic and ecologically related habitat, the cost of which does not exceed $750,000 and which is located in a disadvantaged community as determined by the Secretary, may be carried out at Federal expense. The total Federal costs associated with construction of a project under this section may not exceed $15,000,000. Operation, maintenance, replacement, and rehabilitation costs associated with a project under this section are the responsibility of the non-Federal interest. At the request of the non-Federal interest for a water resources development project involving the disposal of dredged material, the Secretary, using funds appropriated for construction or operation and maintenance of the project, may select a disposal method that is not the least cost option if the Secretary determines that the incremental costs of the disposal method are reasonable in relation to— The Federal share of such incremental costs shall be determined in accordance with subsection (c). Disposal of dredged material under this subsection may include a single or periodic application of sediment for beneficial use and shall not require operation and maintenance. The Secretary may accept funds from a non-Federal interest to dispose of dredged material as provided under section 2213(d)(1) of this title. Activities carried out under this subsection— The Secretary may— In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall give priority to a regional sediment management project in the vicinity of each of the following: There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $62,500,000 per fiscal year, of which not more than $5,000,000 per fiscal year may be used for the development of regional sediment management plans authorized by subsection (e) and of which not more than $3,000,000 per fiscal year may be used for construction of projects to which subsection (c)(1)(B)(ii) applies. Such funds shall remain available until expended.