tion of the coastal Louisiana ecosystem under au-
thorities of each agency, including—
(A) recommendations that identify funds 
from current agency missions and budgets; and 
(B) recommendations for coordinating in-
dividual agency budget requests; and 
(3) submit to Congress a biennial report that 
summarizes the activities of the Task Force and 
progress towards the purposes set forth in section 
2(d)(1). 
(c) PROCEDURES
AND ADVICE.—The Task Force 
shall—
(1) implement procedures to facilitate public 
participation with regard to Task Force activities, 
including—
(A) providing advance notice of meetings; 
(B) providing adequate opportunity for 
public input and comment; 
(C) maintaining appropriate records; and 
(D) making a record of proceedings avail-
able for public inspection; and 
(2) establish such working groups as are nec-
essary to assist the Task Force in carrying out its 
duties.
(d) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Task Force or 
any associated working group may not receive compensa-
tion for their services as members of the Task Force or 
working group. 
(e) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Travel expenses incurred 
by members of the Task Force, or members of an associ-
ated working group, in the performance of their service 
on the Task Force or working group shall be paid by the 
agency or entity that the member represents. 
SEC. 4. INVESTIGATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army shall 
conduct feasibility studies for future authorization and 
large-scale studies substantially in accordance with the 
Plan at a total cost $130,000,000. 
(b) EXISTING FEDERALLY AUTHORIZED WATER RE-
SOURCES PROJECTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall review 
existing federally authorized water resources projects 
in the coastal Louisiana ecosystem in order to deter-
mine their consistency with the purposes of this sec-
tion and whether the projects have the potential to 
contribute to ecosystem restoration through revised 
operations or modified project features. 
(2) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be ap-
propriated $10,000,000 to carry out this subsection.
SEC. 5. CONSTRUCTION. 
(a) COASTAL LOUISIANA ECOSYSTEM PROGRAM.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army 
shall carry out a coastal Louisiana ecosystem pro-
gram substantially in accordance with the Plan, at 
a total cost of $50,000,000. 
(2) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of the pro-
gram shall be to—
(A) identify uncertainties about the phys-
ical, chemical, geological, biological, and cul-
tural baseline conditions in the coastal Lou-
isiana ecosystem; 
(B) improve the State of knowledge of the 
physical, chemical, geological, biological, and 
cultural baseline conditions in the coastal Lou-
isiana ecosystem; and 
(C) identify and develop technologies, mod-
els, and methods that could be useful in car-
rying out the purposes of this Act. 
(3) WORKING GROUPS.—The Secretary may es-
tablish such working groups as are necessary to as-
sist in carrying out this subsection. 
(4) PROCEDURES
AND
ADVICE.—In carrying 
out this subsection, the Secretary is authorized to 
enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with 
scientific and engineering experts in the restoration
of aquatic and marine ecosystems, including a con-
sortium of academic institutions in Louisiana and 
Mississippi for coastal restoration and enhancement 
through science and technology. 
(b) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (2) 
and (3), the Secretary may carry out projects sub-
stantially in accordance with the Plan for the pur-
pose of resolving critical areas of scientific or tech-
nological uncertainty related to the implementation 
of the comprehensive plan to be developed under sec-
tion 2(d)(3). 
(2) MAXIMUM COST.—
(A) TOTAL COST.—The total cost for plan-
ning, design, and construction of all demonstra-
tion projects under this subsection shall not ex-
ceed $100,000,000. 
(B) INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.—The total cost 
of an individual demonstration project under 
this subsection shall not exceed $25,000,000. 
(c) INITIAL PROJECTS.—The Secretary is authorized 
to carry out the following projects substantially in accord-
ance with the Plan: 
(1) Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Environ-
mental Restoration at a total cost of $105,300,000.
(2) Small Diversion at Hope Canal at a total 
cost of $68,600,000. 
(3) Barataria Basin Barrier Shoreline Restora-
tion at a total cost of $242,600,000. 
(4) Small Bayou Lafourche Reintroduction at a 
total cost of $133,500,000. 
(5) Medium Diversion at Myrtle Grove with 
Dedicated Dredging at a total cost of $278,300,000. 
(d) BENEFICIAL USE OF DREDGED MATERIAL.—The 
Secretary shall implement in the coastal Louisiana eco-
system substantially in accordance with the Plan a pro-
gram for the beneficial use of material dredged from feder-
ally maintained waterways at a total cost of $100,000,000. 
SEC. 6. NON-FEDERAL COST SHARE. 
(a) CREDIT.—The Secretary of the Army shall credit 
toward the non-Federal share of the cost of a project au-
thorized by section 5(c) the cost of work carried out in 
the coastal Louisiana ecosystem by the non-Federal inter-
est before the date of the partnership agreement for the 
project if the Secretary determines that the work is inte-
gral to the project. 
(b) TREATMENT OF CREDIT BETWEEN PROJECTS.—
Any credit provided under this section toward the non-
Federal share of the cost of a project authorized by section
5(c) may be applied toward the non-Federal share of the 
cost of any other project authorized by section 5(c). 
(c) PERIODIC MONITORING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—To ensure that the contribu-
tions of the non-Federal interest equal the non-Fed-
eral share of the cost of a project authorized by sec-
tion 5(c), during each 5-year period beginning after 
the date of commencement of construction of the 
first project under section 5(c), the Secretary 
shall—
(A) monitor the non-Federal provision for 
each project authorized by section 5(c) of cash, 
in-kind services and materials, and land, ease-
ments, rights-of-way, relocations, and disposal 
areas; and 
(B) manage, to the extent practicable, the 
requirement of the non-Federal interest to pro-
vide for each such project cash, in-kind services 
and materials, and land, easements, rights-of-
way, relocations, and disposal areas. 
(2) OTHER MONITORING.—The Secretary shall 
conduct monitoring separately for the construction 
phase, the preconstruction engineering and design 
phase, and the planning phase for each project au-
thorized on or after date of enactment of this Act
for all or any portion of the coastal Louisiana eco-
system (including each project authorized by section 
5(c)). 
(d) AUDITS.—Credit for land, easements, rights-of-
way, relocations, and disposal areas (including land value 
and incidental costs) provided under this section, and the 
cost of work provided under this section, shall be subject 
to audit by the Secretary. 
SEC. 7. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 209 of 
the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962–2) or any 
other provision of law, in carrying out any project or activ-
ity authorized by or under this Act or any other provision 
of law to protect, conserve, and restore the coastal Lou-
isiana ecosystem, the Secretary of the Army may deter-
mine that—
(1) the project or activity is justified by the en-
vironmental benefits derived by the coastal Lou-
isiana ecosystem; and 
(2) no further economic justification for the 
project or activity is required if the Secretary deter-
mines that the project or activity is cost effective. 
(b) LIMITATION ON APPLICABILITY.—Subsection (a) 
shall not apply to any separable element intended to 
produce benefits that are predominantly unrelated to the
protection, conservation, and restoration of the coastal 
Louisiana ecosystem. 
SEC. 8. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION. 
(a) EXISTING AUTHORITY.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided in this Act, nothing in this Act affects any authority 
in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, or any re-
quirement relating to the participation in protection, con-
servation, and restoration projects and activities in the 
coastal Louisiana ecosystem, including projects and activi-
ties referred to in subsection (a) of—
(1) the Department of the Army; 
(2) the Department of the Interior; 
(3) the Department of Commerce; 
(4) the Environmental Protection Agency; 
(5) the Department of Agriculture; 
(6) the Department of Transportation; 
(7) the Department of Energy; 
(8) the Federal Emergency Management Agen-
cy; 
(9) the Coast Guard; and 
(10) the State of Louisiana. 
(b) NEW AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this Act confers 
any new regulatory authority on any Federal or non-Fed-
eral entity that carries out any project or activity author-
ized by or under this Act.
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