certified under section 3(c) of the SWINE Act, for the purpose of identifying, evaluating, and demonstrating environmentally superior waste management technologies for the processing of swine waste. (d) Priority Following the completion of a peer review process for grant proposals received under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to those grant proposals that involve one or more of the following: (1) The cooperation of multiple entities. (2) States or regions with a high concentration of spray field and lagoon operations . (3) A reduction in water usage. (4) The reduction of ammonia and odor emissions, disease-transmitting vectors, airborne pathogens, and nutrient and heavy metal contamination that exceed the standards established for swine waste management technologies certified under section 3(c) of the SWINE Act with respect to such reduction. (5) Significant improvement of the health of swine. (6) The generation of electricity. (7) Significant increases in nutrient recovery and fertilizer production. (8) Alternative uses of swine waste and the generation of renewable energy using such waste, including innovative methods and technologies to allow agricultural operators to make use of swine waste, such as use as fertilizer, methane digestion, composting, and other useful byproducts. (9) Maximizing nutrition management for swine while limiting the risks associated with swine feeding practices (such as mineral bypass). (10) Improvements to water quality and aquatic ecosystems, including with respect to mitigating the impact of microorganisms of the genus Pfiesteria and other microorganisms that are a threat to human or animal health on aquatic food webs, especially commercially important aquatic species and their habitats . (11) The advancement of efforts of the Department of Agriculture to reduce and eliminate antibiotics in livestock. (e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2018