Today, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam R. Telle announced a major initiative, “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program.
“Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” will provide greater focus on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) core Civil Works missions, while minimizing non-core programs, direct funding to priority water resources projects that will provide the greatest benefits to the nation, shorten permitting timelines, and reduce or eliminate extraneous regulations and paperwork that slow USACE’s delivery of Civil Works projects and programs.
“President Trump has empowered his administration to work with lightspeed efficiency to make our government deliver more for all Americans. The Army Civil Works’ ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative will enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deliver critical projects and programs for the nation more efficiently, sooner, and at less cost than the current ways of doing business,” said Telle. “This will eliminate bureaucratic delays and provide fast, clear decisions needed to save lives and empower our economy.”
“Continuous Army transformation is about rapidly delivering war winning capabilities to the Army today, not years in the future. But that’s not all; we’re also transforming at home, too,” said Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll. “I’m incredibly proud of the ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ (BINP) transformation initiative the Army Civil Works and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers teams recently unveiled. BINP will build and strengthen American infrastructure across our nation, increasing resiliency and providing tangible, long-lasting value for the American people.”
“Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” will enable USACE district commanders around the nation to execute the Civil Works projects and programs that benefit the nation. USACE commanders will be empowered to take informed risks in advancing critical water resources projects and programs to completion faster and at less cost. The policy changes will also bring greater transparency and accountability for the program to the American public, project partners and sponsors, industry, and the elected leaders who make the annual funding decisions for the Civil Works program.
The plan consists of 27 initiatives grouped under five categories:
• Maximizing the Ability to Deliver National Infrastructure
• Cutting Red Tape
• Focus on Efficiency
• Transparency & Accountability
• Prioritization
The initiatives do not affect USACE execution of its emergency response support to natural and manmade disasters.
“The U.S. Army’s Civil Works program has been an invaluable cornerstone for more than 200 years. ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ will return USACE to a focus on its core missions and ensure the enterprise continues to be the most trusted national resource delivering water resources solutions,” added Telle. “This is only possible with President Trump’s leadership that has enabled our team to maximize our ability to deliver national infrastructure and cut red tape for the American people.”
Opportunities for the USACE Philadelphia District
Several of the plan’s initiatives involve improving dredging capacity and efficiency. USACE will work with Endangered Species Act resource agencies to significantly expand the seasonal windows for dredging activities. USACE will also be considering innovative solutions to improve the science on environmental window mitigation measures. Executing the plan will result in better, more efficient use of the U.S. dredging fleet, expanding availability, reducing cost to the American taxpayer, and removing artificial constraints on the economy.
“Maintenance dredging is a vital part of maintaining safe navigation on our waterways. This enables maritime commerce to flow and supports national security activities,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Baum, commander of the USACE Philadelphia District. “We maintain about 500 miles of navigation channels in our District alone, and we maintain dune and beachfill projects for Coastal Storm Risk Management along about 100 miles of Delaware and New Jersey coastline. We’re laser focused on working with our partners at the federal, state and local levels to improve how we deliver these important projects. This new initiative will enable our District to find more efficient ways to deliver our critically important navigation mission, our Coastal Storm Risk Management work, and the many other missions that we are responsible for in the region.”
Within its navigable waterways, the Philadelphia District maintains the 45-foot Delaware River federal navigation channel from Philadelphia to the Atlantic. The district also operates and maintains the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Other navigation projects include the Schuylkill River, Wilmington Harbor, the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, and several coastal inlets. These channels are critical to maritime commerce and activities including the international transport of goods, U.S. Coast Guard operations, and the commercial fishing industry. This new initiative will enable more efficient execution for both navigation and Coastal Storm Risk Management projects.
Baum added that the ongoing construction of the DONNELLY, a medium class hopper dredge that is estimated for delivery in late 2027, will align with the “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” dredging-related initiatives. The DONNELLY will be based in Philadelphia and play a critical role in providing safe, reliable, effective, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems for vital national security, commerce, and recreation needs.
The “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative will also have a major impact on streamlining and improving efficiency in permitting. The USACE Philadelphia District regulates essentially all construction activities in waters of the United States across Delaware and portions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The initiative will provide for more consistency, improve timeliness, and remove subjectivity in decisions by providing tools and technology while adhering to the law.