during that fiscal year aggregate expenditures 
for programs to ensure levee safety that are at or 
above the average annual level of such expendi-
tures for the State for the 2 fiscal years pre-
ceding that fiscal year.’’. 
SEC. 125. VEGETATION ON LEVEES. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Secretary of the Army, in accord-
ance with subsection (c), shall undertake a comprehensive 
review of the Corps of Engineers policy guidelines on vege-
tation management for levees (in this section referred to as 
the ‘‘guidelines’’). The Secretary shall commence the review 
upon the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) FACTORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In conducting the review, the 
Secretary shall examine the guidelines in view of— 
(A) the varied interests and responsibilities 
in managing flood risks, including the need to 
provide the greatest levee safety benefit with lim-
ited resources; 
(B) preserving, protecting, and enhancing 
natural resources, including the potential benefit 
that vegetation on levees can have in providing 
habitat for species of concern; 
(C) protecting the rights of Indian tribes 
pursuant to treaties and statutes; 
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(D) determining how vegetation impacts the 
performance of a levee or levee system during a 
storm or flood event; and 
(E) such other factors as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(2) REGIONAL
AND
WATERSHED
CONSIDER-
ATIONS.—In conducting the review, the Secretary 
shall specifically consider factors that promote and 
allow for consideration of potential variances from 
national guidelines on a regional or watershed basis. 
Such factors may include regional or watershed soil 
conditions, hydrologic factors, vegetation patterns and 
characteristics, environmental resources, levee per-
formance history, institutional considerations, and 
other relevant factors. The scope of a variance ap-
proved by the Secretary may include an exemption to 
national guidelines where appropriate. 
(c) COOPERATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The review shall be under-
taken in cooperation with interested Federal agencies 
and in consultation with interested representatives of 
State and local governments, Indian tribes, appro-
priate nongovernmental organizations, and the pub-
lic. 
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(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Corps of Engineers 
Regional Integration Teams, representing districts, 
divisions, and headquarters, in consultation with 
State and Federal resources agencies, and with par-
ticipation by local agencies, shall recommend to the 
Secretary vegetation management policies for levees 
that conform with State and Federal laws and other 
applicable requirements. 
(d) REVISION OF GUIDELINES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—During the 1-year period be-
ginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(A) provide the public 30 days to review 
and comment on the guidelines; 
(B) revise the guidelines based on consider-
ation of the results of the public review; and 
(C) submit to Congress a report that con-
tains a summary of the activities of the Sec-
retary and a description of the findings of the 
Secretary under this section. 
(2) CONTENT; INCORPORATION INTO MANUAL.— 
The revised guidelines shall— 
(A) provide a practical process for approv-
ing regional or watershed variances from the na-
tional guidelines, reflecting due consideration of 
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measures to maximize public safety benefits with 
limited resources, levee performance, regional cli-
matic and hydrologic variations, environmental 
quality, implementation challenges, and alloca-
tion of responsibilities; and 
(B) be incorporated into the manual pro-
posed under section 5(c) of the Act entitled ‘‘An 
Act authorizing the construction of certain pub-
lic works on rivers and harbors for flood control, 
and for other purposes’’, approved August 18, 
1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n(c)). 
(e) CONTINUATION OF WORK.—Concurrent with com-
pletion of the requirements of this section, the Secretary 
shall proceed without interruption or delay with those ongo-
ing or programmed projects and studies, or elements of 
projects or studies, that are not directly related to vegetation 
variance policy. 
SEC. 126. REDUCTION OF FEDERAL COSTS. 
Section 204(a) of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 2326(a)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(4) REDUCING COSTS.—To reduce or avoid Fed-
eral costs, the Secretary shall consider the beneficial 
use of dredged material in a manner that contributes 
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to the maintenance of sediment resources in the near-
by coastal system.’’. 
SEC. 127. ADVANCED MODELING TECHNOLOGIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To the greatest extent practicable, 
the Secretary shall encourage and incorporate advanced 
modeling technologies, including 3-dimensional digital 
modeling, for activities related to water resources develop-
ment projects and studies. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary, to the greatest extent practicable, shall— 
(1) compile information related to advanced 
modeling technologies, including industry best prac-
tices with respect to the use of the technologies; 
(2) disseminate to non-Federal interests the in-
formation described in paragraph (1); and 
(3) promote the use of advanced modeling tech-
nologies. 
(c) ADVANCED MODELING TECHNOLOGY DEFINED.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘advanced modeling technology’’ 
means an available or developing technology, including 3- 
dimensional digital modeling, that can expedite project de-
livery for or improve the evaluation of water resources de-
velopment projects that receive Federal funding by— 
(1) accelerating and improving the environ-
mental review process; 
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