Press Release: 2/25/2026

NAE News Release: Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork

 

Published Feb. 24, 2026

 

CONCORD, Mass. – 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.”



The USACE New England District executes a large and diverse Civil Works mission set across New

England. The “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative aligns with the New England District’s

commitment to ensure the prosperity and safety of New England through the execution of our Civil Works

mission. The individual initiatives it outlines empower the faster and more efficient delivery of our most

critically needed projects.



“We are always focused on delivering value to New England in everything we do,” said COL Justin Pabis,

commander of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers New England District. “The initiatives outlined in ‘Building

Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ will help us continue to deliver quality projects and programs to the region,

whether that be keeping commerce flowing by deepening the New Haven Harbor or ensuring the safety and

resilience for the city of Boston as part of our Coastal Storm Risk Management Study.”

Dredging is a major focus in “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” and is a key mission for the New

England District which maintains over 170 federal navigation projects. Streamlining and simplification of the

dredge planning process will enable our teams to quickly execute authorized projects, including current

planning and design efforts for the maintenance dredging of the Providence River and Harbor.



This focus on efficiency extends to the district’s regulatory mission. The New England District is committed to

modernizing the permitting process, having fully implemented the Regulatory Request System to streamline

the application process for applicants and will soon implement the 2026 Nationwide Permits. These efforts

provide a strong foundation for executing the regulatory initiatives included in “Building Infrastructure, Not

Paperwork” and provide an exciting opportunity to continue working with our state and federal partners to

develop additional mechanisms that leverage technology to reach more efficient permit decisions.