Bill > SB119

This bill requires that in Alabama's coastal areas, any individual or entity that dredges more than one million cubic yards of material in a year must ensure that at least 70 percent of that dredged material is "beneficially used," meaning it is put to a productive and positive use such as creating or restoring habitats for fish and wildlife, for human recreation, or for industrial and commercial purposes, and not simply deposited into public waters unless it's part of a shoreline restoration or marsh creation project. The bill defines "living shoreline" and "marsh creation" as methods of using dredged material to establish or restore wetlands and shorelines, and specifies that "shoreline restoration" includes projects aimed at restoring Dauphin Island or Sand Island. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources are tasked with creating rules to implement these requirements, and the Governor can waive these provisions during a declared state of emergency. This new law will take effect on October 1, 2026.

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