Posted on February 23, 2026
DETROIT – 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.
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works announces ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative for the Army’s Civil Works program/2/2/2
“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 Detroit District highlights potential for improved support for navigation mission
The “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative will be instrumental in advancing the Detroit District’s civil works navigation mission.
Ensuring the reliable flow of commerce through the Soo Locks and throughout the Great Lakes is essential to the country’s industrial strength. To ensure Soo Locks operational reliability, the Detroit District continues advancing the Soo Asset Renewal Plan, a rolling five-year strategy to recapitalize and modernize aging infrastructure. The asset renewal plan mitigates unscheduled outages and ensures reliable operations. Upcoming priorities include synchronizing efforts with the New Lock at the Soo’s anticipated 2030 opening, completing critical repairs of the Poe and MacArthur locks, upgrading hydropower systems, modernizing facilities and marine assets.
“The Detroit District has delivered critical infrastructure since 1841, and this framework ensures we complete these projects efficiently, removes unnecessary delays, and keeps the Soo Locks operating for decades to come,” said Lt. Col. Wallace Bandeff, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District commander. “Ensuring the reliability of the Soo Locks is essential to the strength of our national economy and supply chain.”
“Beyond Soo Locks operations, maintaining the Great Lakes navigation system also depends on strategic and timely dredging across the region,” said Lt. Col. Bandeff. “Maintenance dredging is a vital part of maintaining safe navigation and supporting the economic and operational needs of the Great Lakes region. With 81 harbors and three connecting channels within our area of responsibility, we are focused on working with our industry partners, waterway users, and non-federal sponsors to produce solutions that improve how we deliver these important projects to communities and industry.”
The Detroit District led the award of a Great Lakes Dredging Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) on Dec. 30, 2025, establishing a five-year, $180 million shared-capacity contracting vehicle that enables Great Lakes districts to execute dredging projects more efficiently and respond quickly to navigation needs. By streamlining awards and increasing agility with industry partners, the MATOC strengthens maintenance of the Great Lakes Navigation System, an asset that saves approximately $3.9 billion annually compared to road or rail transport, supporting competitive American steel, affordable energy, and more American jobs.
“The Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative will enable the Detroit District to find efficient ways to deliver our critically important navigation mission and the many other missions the District is responsible for in the region.
