Dredging; coastal areas, dredged materials required to be beneficially used by persons dredging certain amounts

HB 181 requires entities dredging over 1 million cubic yards of material annually in Alabama's coastal areas to use at least 70% of that dredged material for "beneficial use," such as restoring habitats, creating recreational areas, or industrial applications. It explicitly excludes simply dumping material into public waters unless part of shoreline restoration or marsh creation projects. Exceptions include situations where federal funds are available for beneficial use or during a state emergency declared by the Governor. The law, set to take effect October 1, 2026, applies only to large-scale coastal dredging operations.