Why It Matters
A proposed federal ban on “thin-layer placement” — the practice of spraying dredged sediment across Mobile Bay — would reshape how the Army Corps of Engineers manages material from shipping channel maintenance. The measure reflects a shift toward stricter environmental oversight in a region where the practice has drawn opposition from fishers, environmental groups, and state officials for decades.
What Happened
U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, included an amendment in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA) that would prohibit the Army Corps from using thin-layer placement in most circumstances. The bill advanced unanimously through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and awaits a full House vote.
Thin-layer placement involves spraying dredged mud and silt across the bay — typically to a depth of 6 to 12 inches — as part of routine channel-maintenance operations. The Corps has long characterized the practice as a beneficial use of dredged material. Critics argue it degrades water quality, smothers oyster beds, and blocks sunlight needed for seagrass growth.
The amendment includes narrow exceptions allowing thin-layer placement only in emergencies or when no timely alternative exists. Figures expects bipartisan support in both chambers. “It essentially removes that option away from the Corps to dispose of dredged material. They can no longer just spray it across the bay,” Figures said.
Alabama bolstered the case for federal action in February when the state passed a law requiring that 70 percent of dredged material be used for beneficial use projects — a category that explicitly excludes thin-layer placement. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., has been a vocal opponent of sediment disposal by spraying into the bay.
By the Numbers
6 to 12 inches — depth of sediment the Army Corps aims to deposit across the bay per operation
70 percent — portion of dredged material Alabama state law now requires be used for designated beneficial use projects
$50 million — funding allocated in the WRDA bill for projects in Figures’ south Alabama district
Zoom Out
The push to restrict thin-layer placement reflects a broader reassessment of how coastal dredging projects balance navigation and commerce against environmental protection. Several states have moved to tighten rules on sediment disposal in recent years. The Mobile Bay effort gained momentum after Britt secured beneficial use language in the prior WRDA in 2024, signaling sustained bipartisan interest in constraining the practice at the federal level.
The bill also reflects ongoing tension over the Mobile shipping channel deepening and widening project, which is nearing completion. Expansion of the channel allows larger cargo ships to enter the port — a significant economic benefit for the region — but has intensified focus on how dredged material is handled.
Environmental Concerns
Water quality advocates have documented the impacts of thin-layer placement for years. William Strickland, Mobile Baykeeper, described the mechanism of harm: “It clouds the water, doesn’t allow sunlight to reach the subaquatic vegetation or seagrass that it needs to grow. That sediment can land on our oysters and smother those.” Fishers and recreation-dependent businesses have aligned with environmental groups on the issue, creating a coalition that crosses typical advocacy lines.
What’s Next
The WRDA bill heads to the House floor for a vote. If it passes the chamber, the measure will move to the Senate, where Britt’s support suggests a favorable path. Federal adoption of the ban would align national policy with Alabama’s state law and mark a significant constraint on an Army Corps practice that has operated largely unchanged for decades.