A.(1) Applications for funding of any waterway project may be submitted by any governmental entity on a quarterly basis, except as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 34:3476. Applications shall be submitted to the office no later than the first of March, June, September, and December of each calendar year for consideration of funding or funding obligation authority in the following fiscal years. Applications submitted in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter shall be subject to the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 39:101 through 128. Information to be provided in the application shall include but not be limited to the following:

            (a) Description of the project and demonstration of immediate need for the project.

            (b) Preliminary project design and cost estimate.

            (c) Description of project area.

            (2) Project applications shall not be subject to formal review and evaluation until the information required in the application has been submitted.

            B. Applications shall be reviewed by the office and any other appropriate state agencies within sixty days after receipt of such applications by the office.

            C. Procedures for review and evaluation shall be developed by the office. Prior to implementing the review and evaluation procedures, the office shall secure the approval of these procedures by the oversight committees in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. The procedures and a set of guidelines for completing project applications shall be made available to eligible governmental entities upon request.

            D. The office may contract for any of the duties associated with the development of the waterway dredging and deepening priority program, including but not limited to the development, review, and evaluation of plans and specifications, and the development of the waterway dredging and deepening priority program list. However, development of and authority over the final determination of the waterway dredging and deepening priority list shall remain with the department and the joint committee as provided in this Chapter.

            E. The office shall insure that an inventory is maintained of waterways, public and private, with respect to their location, capacities, and capabilities and serve as a clearinghouse for inquiries for waterways information, data, and technical and research assistance.

            F. The office shall have prepared each year a summary report containing projections of state, federal, local, and private financial requirements for dredging and deepening waterways.

            Acts 2017, No. 382, §1, eff. July 1, 2017.