NEW ORLEANS -- March 2, 2026: NOTE: This updated press release contains links to memorandums related to the Army’s Civil Works program ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative.
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 Dan 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 transformation 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.”
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District
One of the plan’s initiatives includes increasing dredging capacity via maintenance dredging, which plays a key role in the transportation of goods/services via commercial waterways throughout the U.S. To do so, USACE will work with Endangered Species Act resource agencies to significantly expand the seasonal windows that are allowed to dredge within ports. USACE will also be looking at innovative solutions to improve the science on environmental window mitigation measures, including additional funding for Research & Development. 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.
“South Louisiana is home to the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, our Nation’s first and third busiest inland waterways,” said Col. Scotty Autin, USACE New Orleans District commander. “Applying measures for better efficiency in dredging programs throughout the Nation will help ensure safe and reliable navigation is maintained on these waterways that connect America’s Heartland to the global economy.”
Reliable navigation along our nation’s inland water is a vital component for supporting a healthy and growing national economy. Equally important is managing flood risk for the men and women that live and work along the Mississippi River. Following the historic 1927 flood, USACE constructed the Mississippi River and Tributaries System to prevent a flood of this magnitude from recurring. Today, USACE is undertaking the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study to identify long-term approaches for continued delivery of reliable navigation, flood risk management and environmental stewardship.
“For nearly a century, the Mississippi River and Tributaries System has reduced the risk of flooding for communities, infrastructure and industry throughout the Lower Mississippi River Valley,” said Autin. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now applying innovative planning approaches to deliver solutions that will ensure sustainable and effective management of the river system from Cape Giraudeau, Mo., to the Gulf of America for the next 100 years.”
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