US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

33 U.S.C. § 1272

Environmental dredging

(a)

Operation and maintenance of navigation projects

33 U.S.C. 1251Whenever necessary to meet the requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [ et seq.], the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, may remove and remediate, as part of operation and maintenance of a navigation project, contaminated sediments outside the boundaries of and adjacent to the navigation channel.

(b)

Nonproject specific

(1)

In general

The Secretary may remove and remediate contaminated sediments from the navigable waters of the United States for the purpose of environmental enhancement and water quality improvement if such removal and remediation is requested by a non-Federal sponsor and the sponsor agrees to pay 35 percent of the cost of such removal and remediation.

(2)

Maximum amount

The Secretary may not expend more than $50,000,000 in a fiscal year to carry out this subsection.

(c)

Joint plan requirement

The Secretary may only remove and remediate contaminated sediments under subsection (b) in accordance with a joint plan developed by the Secretary and interested Federal, State, and local government officials. Such plan must include an opportunity for public comment, a description of the work to be undertaken, the method to be used for dredged material disposal, the roles and responsibilities of the Secretary and non-Federal sponsors, and identification of sources of funding.

(d)

Disposal costs

1

1 So in original. The word “a” probably should not appear.
Costs of disposal of contaminated sediments removed under this section shall be a  shared as a cost of construction.

(e)

Limitation on statutory construction

42 U.S.C. 9601Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the rights and responsibilities of any person under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 [ et seq.].

(f)

Priority work

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall give priority to work in the following areas:
(1)
Brooklyn Waterfront, New York.
(2)
Buffalo Harbor and River, New York.
(3)
Ashtabula River, Ohio.
(4)
Mahoning River, Ohio.
(5)
Lower Fox River, Wisconsin.
(6)
Passaic River and Newark Bay, New Jersey.
(7)
Snake Creek, Bixby, Oklahoma.
(8)
Willamette River, Oregon.
(g)

Nonprofit entities

section 1962d–5b of title 42Notwithstanding , for any project carried out under this section, a non-Federal sponsor may include a nonprofit entity, with the consent of the affected local government.

Pub. L. 101–640, title III, § 312104 Stat. 4639Pub. L. 104–303, title II, § 205110 Stat. 3679Pub. L. 106–53, title II, § 224113 Stat. 297Pub. L. 106–541, title II, § 210(a)114 Stat. 2592(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act June 30, 1948, ch. 758Pub. L. 92–500, § 286 Stat. 816section 1251 of this titleThe Federal Water Pollution Control Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is , as amended generally by , , , which is classified generally to this chapter (§ 1251 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 96–51094 Stat. 2767section 9601 of Title 42The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, referred to in subsec. (e), is , , , which is classified principally to chapter 103 (§ 9601 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Codification

section 1252 of this titleSection was formerly set out as a note under .

Section was enacted as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 1990, and not as part of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

Pub. L. 106–5412000—Subsec. (g). added subsec. (g).

Pub. L. 106–53, § 224(1)(A)1999—Subsec. (b)(1). , substituted “35 percent” for “50 percent”.

Pub. L. 106–53, § 224(1)(B)Subsec. (b)(2). , substituted “$50,000,000” for “$20,000,000”.

Pub. L. 106–53, § 224(2)Subsec. (d). , substituted “shared as a cost of construction” for “non-Federal responsibility”.

Pub. L. 106–53, § 224(3)Subsec. (f)(6) to (8). , added pars. (6) to (8).

Pub. L. 104–303, § 205(1)1996—Subsec. (a). , inserted “and remediate” after “remove”.

Pub. L. 104–303, § 205(1)Subsec. (b)(1). , (2)(A), inserted “and remediate” after “remove” and inserted “and remediation” after “removal” in two places.

Pub. L. 104–303, § 205(2)(B)Subsec. (b)(2). , substituted “$20,000,000” for “$10,000,000”.

Pub. L. 104–303, § 205(1)Subsec. (c). , inserted “and remediate” after “remove”.

Pub. L. 104–303, § 205(3)Subsec. (f). , added subsec. (f) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (f). Text read as follows: “This section shall not be effective after the last day of the 5-year period beginning on ; except that the Secretary may complete any project commenced under this section on or before such last day.”