(a) In general

The Secretary of the Army is authorized to investigate, study, plan, and implement structural and nonstructural measures for the prevention or mitigation of shore damages attributable to Federal navigation works and shore damage attributable to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, if a non-Federal public body agrees to operate and maintain such measures, and, in the case of interests in real property acquired in conjunction with nonstructural measures, to operate and maintain the property for public purposes in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(b) Cost sharing

Terms Used In 33 USC 426i

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.

The costs of implementing measures, including a study, shall be cost-shared in the same proportion as the cost-sharing provisions applicable to construction of the project causing the shore damage.

(c) Requirement for specific authorization

No such project shall be initiated without specific authorization by Congress if the Federal first cost exceeds $12,500,000.

(d) Coordination

The Secretary shall—

(1) coordinate the implementation of the measures under this section with other Federal and non-Federal shore protection projects in the same geographic area; and

(2) to the extent practicable, combine mitigation projects with other shore protection projects in the same area into a comprehensive regional project.

(e) Reimbursement for feasibility studies

Beginning on December 16, 2016, in any case in which the Secretary implements a project under this section, the Secretary shall reimburse or credit the non-Federal interest for any amounts contributed for the study evaluating the damage in excess of the non-Federal share of the costs, as determined under subsection (b).