§ 337.9 Identification and use of disposal areas.

(a) District engineers should identify and develop dredged material disposal management strategies that satisfy the long-term (greater than 10 years) needs for Corps projects. Full consideration should be given to all practicable alternatives including upland, open water, beach nourishment, within banks disposal, ocean disposal, etc. Within existing policy, district engineers should also explore beneficial uses of dredged material, such as marsh establishment and dewatering techniques, in order to extend the useful life of existing disposal areas. Requests for water quality certification and/or coastal zone consistency concurrence for projects with identified long-term disposal sites should include the length of time for which the certification and/or consistency concurrence is sought. The section 404(b)(1) evaluation and environmental assessment or environmental impact statement should also address long-term maintenance dredging and disposal. District engineers should use the guidance at 40 CFR 230.80 to shorten environmental compliance processing time. The Corps of Engineers will be responsible for accomplishing or assuring environmental compliance requirements for all disposal areas. This does not preclude the adoption of other agencies NEPA documents in accordance with 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508.

(b) The identification of disposal sites should include consideration of dredged material disposal needs by project beneficiaries. District engineers are encouraged to require local interests, where the project has a local sponsor, to designate long-term disposal areas.