SAN FRANCISCO – On Feb. 23, 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."
USACE San Francisco District Implements ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ Initiative to Modernize Bay Area Dredging
The USACE San Francisco District is implementing the national ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative to create new efficiencies for its dredging program, which is essential for commercial and military navigation throughout the San Francisco Bay.
The initiative will streamline operations to deliver critical infrastructure projects faster and more cost-effectively. The San Francisco District maintains many navigation channels throughout the Bay, including five strategic navigation projects vital to the region's economy and national security: the San Francisco Main Ship Channel, providing deep-draft access to the Bay from the Pacific Ocean; the Port of Oakland’s 50-foot-deep channel for the largest of container ships; Richmond Harbor, which is vital for the petroleum industry boasting its massive Chevron Refinery; the San Pablo Bay-Mare Island Strait, a critical element of the Bay’s maritime highway providing deep-water access to the inland ports of Sacramento and Stockton; and the strategic channel serving the critical Military Ocean Terminal at Concord (MOTCO) which supports our national security.
“This initiative is about shifting our focus from process to performance,” said Lt. Col. Virginia Brickner, commander of the USACE San Francisco District. “By modernizing our approach, we're not just making our program more cost-effective, we're strengthening the economic backbone of the Bay Area and ensuring our nation's supply chains remain secure and resilient for the future.”
ASA(CW) Memorandums
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