JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- 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:
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.” The USACE Jacksonville District is already seeing the positive impact of this initiative through the accelerated delivery of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir. In 2025, a historic agreement between the U.S. Army and the State of Florida advanced the EAA Reservoir construction timeline by five years - reinforcing the commitment outlined in President Trump’s FY26 budget to expedite Everglades restoration. The CEPP EAA Reservoir will capture, store, treat, and move water from Lake Okeechobee that would otherwise be lost to tide south to the central and southern Everglades when and where it is needed most. Designed to store more than 78 billion gallons of water, the reservoir will deliver up to 470 billion gallons of clean water each year to the Everglades and Florida Bay. The agreement streamlines federal processes, allowing the USACE to focus on constructing the reservoir’s foundation, embankments, perimeter canals, and structures, while the South Florida Water Management District constructs seepage and inflow pump stations and assumes responsibility for the Blue Shanty Flow Way. Originally projected for completion in 2034, the EAA Reservoir is now on track for completion by 2029 - delivering faster water quality improvements and environmental benefits to South Florida’s estuaries, coastal communities, and economy. “This agreement is already making a difference in how quickly we can deliver critical Everglades restoration projects, said Jacksonville District Commander Col. Brandon Bowman. “Accelerating the EAA Reservoir allows us to capture and move water south that would otherwise be lost to tide, improving water quality and supporting South Florida’s ecosystems and communities’ years ahead of schedule.” The completed project will deliver major benefits for Florida’s coastal communities, anglers, the tourism industry, provide water supply for agriculture and the population and conserve a unique natural environment for generations to come. The Regulatory Request System (RRS) is an online platform designed to assist the public with navigating the USACE permitting process. This nationwide webpage allows applicants to submit permit requests and supporting documents electronically. By providing a centralized system for submitting and tracking applications, the RRS improves transparency, reduces administrative delays, and supports more consistent and timely decision-making. For the public and project sponsors, the system simplifies the permitting process, enhances communication with USACE project managers, and helps critical infrastructure and restoration projects move forward more efficiently while maintaining environmental protections. Streamlining Regulatory initiatives are reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and improving overall process efficiency. “We are committed to clear, transparent communication with applicants, local governments, Tribes, and stakeholders about our processes, timelines, and expectations,” said Bowman. “Our goal is a Regulatory program that is efficient, accountable, environmentally responsible, and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve.” For more information on the RRS, please visit: https://www.sad.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Florida/
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Contact
Jacksonville District Public Affairs
publicmail.cesaj-cc@usace.army.mil
Release no. 26-010