The purposes of this chapter are:

(1)  To establish an integrated, coherent plan for dredging and dredge material management, which includes beneficial use, dewatering, in-water disposal, and upland disposal as appropriate, that sets forth the state’s program for these activities and provides guidance to persons planning to engage in these activities and to designate the council as the lead agency for implementing the purposes of this chapter.

(2)  To provide for coordinated, timely decision-making by state agencies on applications for dredging, dewatering, and for the beneficial use and in-water and upland disposal of dredged materials, with the goals of providing action, following a determination that the application is complete, on applications for these activities within one hundred eighty (180) days for applications pertaining to maintenance dredging projects and within five hundred forty (540) days for expansion projects.

(3)  To establish, for the purposes of this chapter and consistent with the requirements of the Marine Infrastructure Maintenance Act of 1996, the following in order of priority in planning for and management of dredged material, depending on the nature and characteristics of the dredged material and on reasonable cost.

(i)  Beneficial use, including specifically beach nourishment and habitat restoration and creation, in the coastal zone;

(ii)  Beneficial use in upland areas;

(iii)  Disposal.

(4)  To encourage the development of the infrastructure needed to dewater dredged materials, and to facilitate beneficial use of dredged materials in upland areas.

(5)  To encourage and facilitate the beneficial use of dredged materials by private parties.

(6)  To authorize the establishment of a means of supporting projects for dewatering dredged material and for beneficial use and disposal of dredged material at sites above mean high water by the Rhode Island infrastructure bank.