HB20 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chip BrownRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to coastal areas; to provide for permits for living shoreline restoration from the State Lands Division of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Management and for the use of source sediment by riparian property owners.

Summary

The bill would create a permit program for living shoreline restoration in coastal Alabama, allowing riparian property owners to use source sediment for these projects at a reduced fee.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes permits for shoreline restoration, including living shoreline techniques, to be issued by the State Lands Division and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Management. It defines living shoreline as methods that stabilize the shore while allowing natural coastal processes to continue. It sets the permit fee at one-half of the fee charged for bulkheads or seawalls when the sediment is used for living shorelines. It allows the agencies to adopt rules to implement the act and notes that it does not affect title to state-owned submerged lands.

Who It Affects

• Riparian property owners in coastal areas, who could dredge source sediment in front of or adjacent to their property with consent to use for living shoreline restoration at half the usual permit fee.
• State agencies (State Lands Division, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Department of Environmental Management), which would issue permits and regulate living shoreline activities.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Establishes permits for riparian property owners to dredge source sediment in front of their property (or adjacent property with consent) for use in living shoreline restoration.
• Provision 2: Sets the permit fee at one-half the fee charged for constructing bulkheads or seawalls, and allows agencies to adopt rules to implement the act, while clarifying it does not affect title to state-owned submerged lands.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Shoreline restoration projects, permit required.