Interagency approach to beneficial uses of dredged material

Environmental considerations resulted in the development and planned implementation of environmentally beneficial dredged material disposal in connection with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) plans to widen and deepen the Houston Ship Channel in Galveston Bay, Texas, USA. This action supersedes earlier USACE plans to place unconfined dredged material onto approximately 4455 hectares of Galveston Bay bottom. It also incorporates local views concerning beneficial uses of dredged material. This locally preferred plan includes creation of coastal wetlands, waterbird rookery islands, and recreational boating designations. Public outreach and consideration of engineering constraints, costs, and relevant scientific factors were addressed through an interagency working group consisting of federal and state personnel and the Port of Houston Authority (PHA)