Senator raises concerns over Corps' dredge-disposal in Mobile Bay, urges permits for beneficial reuse

Senator Elliott delivered an extended floor statement Wednesday urging federal and state partners to change how dredged material from the Mobile ship channel is disposed, saying current open-water disposal practices threaten water quality, submerged aquatic vegetation and shellfish resources.

Elliott told colleagues the disposal footage shown to him — and later shared widely on social media — shows slurry being discharged into open water off Point Clear. He said the method creates turbidity that can damage submerged aquatic vegetation and harm fisheries and shellfish beds important to local economies and tourism.

The senator called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite permits for “beneficial use” projects that would permit upland placement, wetland restoration or construction of living shorelines using dredged material. He said the Corps’ slow permitting and a lack of approved beneficial-use projects are barriers that force continued open-water disposal.

Elliott said he will pursue federal engagement and additional funding to broaden beneficial-use options, and he urged the Corps to approve projects that would let communities reuse spoil material for coastal resilience and habitat restoration. He named local organizations and institutions he expects to work with on such efforts, including the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program and research partners at the University of South Alabama.

The speech did not include a formal motion or vote; it was delivered as a floor point of personal privilege and concluded with requests for federal action and coordination among state and local environmental and academic groups.

Why it matters: Mobile Bay and its shorelines support fisheries, oyster and shrimp industries and tourism; changes to dredge-disposal practices could affect water quality, commercial harvests, coastal resilience and local economies. Elliott said he will work with federal partners and local groups to seek permit and funding solutions.

What’s next: The senator said he plans to pursue meetings in Washington, D.C., and to press the Army Corps for more rapid permitting and funding for beneficial-use projects. He asked colleagues to support efforts to identify sites and to pursue permissions that allow upland disposal or restoration projects.