BENEFICIAL USE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE BENEFICIAL USE PROGRAM
Beneficial Use of Dredged Material is the intentional placement of dredged sediment to provide environmental, economic, and societal benefits. The goal of the Mississippi Beneficial Use (BU) Program, working with federal, state, and local officials, is to restore and create tidal marsh and associated habitats through the utilization of dredged sediments. In order to offset ongoing coastal losses of tidal marsh, which is valuable fish and wildlife habitat, the BU program permits and manages designated marsh and habitat restoration sites where the dredged sediments can be placed.
In 2010, Mississippi passed the BU law, MS § 49-27-61, requiring all permitted dredging activities greater than 2,500 cubic yards to participate in the BU program if the material is suitable and a site is available. The BU law helps eliminate the loss of valuable sediment resources to open water or upland disposal sites.