GALVESTON, Texas -- The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA CW) Adam Telle announced a major initiative, “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Civil Works Program, February 23, 2026.
“Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” will provide greater focus on USACE’s core 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,” Telle said. “This will eliminate bureaucratic delays and provide fast, clear decisions needed to save lives and empower our economy.”
“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 invaluable cornerstone for more than 200 years. ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ will return USACE to a focus on its core mission and ensure the enterprise continues to be the most trusted national resource delivering water resources solutions,” Telle added. “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, Galveston District
One of the plan’s initiatives includes increasing dredging capacity via maintenance dredging, which plays a key role in the transportation of goods and services via commercial waterways throughout the U.S. The USACE’s Galveston District has played a key role in maintaining and dredging key ports and waterways on the Texas coast since its inception in 1880.
USACE will work with ESA resource agencies to significantly expand the seasonal windows that allow dredging within ports. USACE will also be looking at innovative solutions to improve the science on environmental window mitigation measures, including additional funding for research and 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.
“For generations, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District has overseen federal waterways and infrastructure along the entire Texas coastline,” said USACE Galveston District Commander Col. David W. Dake. “Today, that legacy continues through our many maintenance and improvement projects, ensuring freedom of navigation along vital arteries important to national security such as the Houston, Corpus Christi, and Brazos Island Harbor Ship Channels, the Sabine-Neches Waterway and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. We, along with our state and local partners in government and industry, are strengthening America’s energy corridors and supply chains, enhancing navigation safety, and ensuring the long-term vitality of some of our nation’s most strategically important waters.”
Texas is a premier hub for waterborne commerce, ranking first in the nation for total waterborne tonnage and handling over 746 million tons of cargo annually. With 12 deep-draft and 11 shallow-draft ports, plus the 379-mile Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Texas serves as a critical energy and petrochemical gateway, supporting $650 billion in trade and 1.6 million jobs.
ASA(CW) Memorandums
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