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USACE Civil Works Programs
from America's Engineers: The People, Programs, and Projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers '24-'25
The past year has been one full of challenges and opportunities for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Civil Works program as it operated, maintained, and constructed the nation’s critical water resources infrastructure that touches so many parts of America daily. The Civil Works program also supported numerous disaster responses, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, and hurricanes Helene and Milton that affected so much of the Southeast.
The program also marked a significant change in leadership in September, when then-Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations (DCG-CEO) Maj. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr. was promoted to lieutenant general and became the USACE commanding general and the Army’s 56th Chief of Engineers.
Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly then took on the role of USACE DCG-CEO Sept. 9, coming to the position from his previous assignment as the 53rd commanding general of the U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson (South Carolina). Kelly has extensive command experience within USACE, having served as the commander of the USACE South Atlantic Division, Afghanistan District, and Norfolk District.
The past few years have been marked by extraordinary workload for USACE, demanding flexible and innovative solutions at an unprecedented scale.
– Eddie E. Belk Jr., USACE Director of Civil Works
USACE Director of Civil Works Eddie E. Belk Jr. has been the steadying hand for the Civil Works program throughout the changes in military leadership and program demands of the past several years.
“The past few years have been marked by extraordinary workload for USACE, demanding flexible and innovative solutions at an unprecedented scale,” said Belk. “Despite these challenges, USACE continues to rise to the occasion with resilience, ingenuity, and a deep commitment to our partners and the nation.”
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Since 2020, USACE Civil Works has completed 53 feasibility studies while initiating 82 new ones, and delivered to completion a total of 91 authorized construction projects, starting 43 new projects over that same time.
Enacted annual appropriations for the Civil Works program from fiscal year 2022-2024 have been at record levels,with an average of $8.45 billion per year. “The increase in the president’s budget and enacted appropriated amounts for Civil Works means the administration and Congress both find value in the water resources work USACE provides to the nation,” said Belk.
Throughout the past year, USACE worked closely with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to support the administration’s Civil Works priorities. The priorities include upgrading the nation’s ports and waterways; building innovative climate resilient infrastructure; modernizing the Civil Works program; investing in science, research, and development; and strengthening communication and partnerships.
Civil Works 200th Anniversary
The Civil Works program commemorated the 200th anniversary of its founding on April 30. USACE traces the beginnings of the Civil Works mission to two key pieces of legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President James Monroe in 1824.
The first was the General Survey Act of 1824, signed into law April 30, 1824, which authorizing Army engineers to chart transportation improvements vital to the nation’s military security and commercial growth through the design of state and private roads, canals, and railroads determined to be of national interest. The work authorized in the Act enabled Army engineers to significantly contribute to the nation’s westward expansion, and provided legislation that enabled subsequent rivers and harbors acts to authorize funds for navigation improvements.
The first Rivers and Harbors Act was then signed into law May 24, 1824, to authorize improvements for navigation on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, recognizing the vital importance of maintaining navigable waterways for commerce and transportation.
Partnering
Partnering in particular has been a Civil Works focus. USACE success depends on the relationships it has built with stakeholders inside and outside the organization; stakeholders who also have a vested interest in mission success.
“Successful partnering requires engagement at every level of USACE,” said Belk. “It requires the USACE team to embrace a partnering mindset to not only find ways to address the nation’s water resources challenges of today but to also look at how we can collectively address and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow.”
The Natural Resources Management (NRM) program is one exceptional example of partnering on an annual basis. Each year, an average of more than 3,600 federal, state, and local agencies, along with tribes, businesses, educational institutes, and non-profit organizations, partner with USACE, investing over $100 million each year in the NRM program.
In addition, nearly 43,000 volunteers supported and maintained USACE recreation sites over the past year, enhancing recreational opportunities throughout the nation.
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“Partnerships are essential for success in executing our Natural Resource Management mission,” said Jeff Krause, USACE chief of Natural Resources Management. “They bring together complementary strengths, allowing USACE to tackle challenges and pursue goals that might be impossible to achieve alone.
“A strong partnership fosters collaboration, trust, and shared vision, enabling all parties to pool resources, exchange ideas, and innovate more effectively. Ultimately, partnerships amplify efforts, creating value that goes far beyond what each partner could accomplish independently.”
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
November marked the third anniversary of the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). BIL provided $17.1 billion for USACE Civil Works programs, projects, and activities to address many of the nation’s current and future water resources infrastructure needs for the benefit of the American public.
“Three years ago, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set us on a transformative path to improve and help modernize our nation’s water resources,” said Belk. “Today, we are thrilled to see significant progress being made across the nation’s Civil Works portfolio, as these efforts protect communities, stimulate economic growth, and preserve our environment.
“The BIL funds present a generational opportunity for the Army Civil Works program to address critical needs for our water resources infrastructure that is so important to the nation’s economy, way of life, and environment.”
Over the past three years, USACE has used BIL funding to execute nearly 140 agreements, 475 contract awards, 270 contract completions, and 65 ceremonial events. The projects will make a real difference across the nation in reducing flood and coastal storm risks, boosting waterborne commerce and the economy, preserving and enhancing aquatic habitats, building infrastructure resilience in the face of climate change, and promoting equity.
For the USACE Navigation program, BIL has provided more than $7 billion for navigation projects in 37 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The projects will strengthen the national supply chain and accelerate the economy by allowing USACE to maintain and improve critical high-use waterborne navigation, thereby allowing the maximum tonnage of goods to travel along the nation’s inland waterways and through its ports.
“The BIL funds present a generational opportunity for the Army Civil Works program to address critical needs for our water resources infrastructure that is so important to the nation’s economy, way of life, and environment.”
– Eddie E. Belk Jr., USACE Director of Civil Works
In September, the USACE Pittsburgh District announced it had awarded a nearly $770 million contract using BIL funds to construct a new 110-foot by 600-foot primary lock chamber at Montgomery Locks and Dam in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The new lock chamber will replace the existing 56foot by 360-foot auxiliary lock chamber to better support modern commercial barges, and will help ensure safe and reliable navigation on the upper Ohio River.
BIL-funded work also continues on the New Lock on the Soo at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to provide resiliency at the Soo Locks. The new lock will be the same dimensions as the existing Poe Lock, at 1,200 feet long, 110 feet wide, and 32 feet deep. Nearly 100% of America’s domestic iron ore passes through the Soo Locks, with a value of $500 billion and supporting 123,000 jobs.
BIL has also provided nearly $6 billion for the Flood and Coastal Storm Risk Management program for flood risk and coastal resilience projects that will reduce risks and flooding to communities in 47 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Ecosystem restoration also benefits from the nearly $2 billion in BIL funding for aquatic ecosystem restoration projects that will help restore aquatic habitat to a more natural condition in 11 states and Puerto Rico.
BIL funding is also being used to help USACE meet its goals of continuing to build strong and meaningful relationships with its partners in tribal nations and underserved communities. On Aug. 29, then-Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor announced 12 communities that will be the first to participate in a pilot program authorized by Section 165(a) of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, as amended by Section 8118 of WRDA 2022. Section 165(a) authorizes USACE to study, design, and construct up to 20 small Civil Works projects under its existing Continuing Authorities Program for the benefit of small or economically disadvantaged communities. For the 12 selected projects, USACE is using BIL funds to pay 100% of the projects’ costs.
A list of the selected communities and pilot projects is available on the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works website: https://www.army.mil/article/279327/army_announces_civil_works_investments_in_small_disadvantaged_communities
Regulatory
One of the USACE initiatives to continue to modernize how it serves the American public was the January 2024 launch of the new national online application portal and management platform called the Regulatory Request System (RRS). RRS is intended to be a one-stop shop for Regulatory jurisdiction and permitting requests and is designed to provide an efficient, transparent and user-friendly process for the public.
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RRS provides general information on the Regulatory Program and allows the public to submit pre-application meeting requests, jurisdictional determination requests, and individual and general permit applications and other necessary information. Users can also track the status of their projects.
RRS saves time for users and removes the burden associated with the preparation and mailing of paper applications.
As of Sept. 9, more than 4,200 new requests had been submitted through RRS since the initial launch. Approximately 43% of those requests were for general and individual permits and 32% were for delineation reports and jurisdictional determinations. You can learn more about RRS by listening to the Inside the Castle podcast at https://www.dvidshub.net/audio/82422/ inside-castle-tool-spotlight-regulatory-request-system
Disaster Response
While addressed in greater detail elsewhere in this publication, the USACE Civil Works program continues to respond to natural and manmade disasters around the nation, in order to help communities and citizens return to a state of normalcy as quickly as possible.
The combined response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, March 26 was an amazing joint operation between USACE, the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, state of Maryland, Port of Baltimore, and associated contractors. The speed and professionalism of all those involved enabled the rapid clearing of the navigation channel and return to full service of a port that is critical to the region and nation’s economy on June 10, 11 weeks after the collapse.
More recently, the South Atlantic Division has been leading the USACE response to hurricanes Helene and Milton in support of FEMA. This has been another shining example of the USACE team coming together from across the nation to provide aid to their fellow Americans when they need it most. The widespread damage in many southeastern states from Hurricane Helene has resulted in what will be a long-term USACE support mission for debris removal.
Kudos also go out to the Jacksonville District for the speed in which they activated and completed the Blue Roof mission in Florida following Hurricane Milton. Their execution of the program will serve as a model in future disasters.
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Finally, the Honolulu District continues its support to the island of Maui, Hawaii, following the disastrous August 2023 wildfires. The district completed debris removal from residential properties in Lahaina and is working to complete its removal of commercial property debris. A key milestone in the district’s recovery support was the successful installation and turnover of the temporary King Kamehameha III Elementary School in Lahaina to the Hawai’i State Department of Education Feb. 27. In collaboration with FEMA and the state of Hawai’i, USACE designed and oversaw the installation of this critical educational facility to serve the approximately 600 elementary school students who had been displaced from their original Lahaina school.
Closing
“The Army Civil Works program has a proud 200-year history,” said Belk. “While our mission might have changed through the years, one thing has remained and will remain a constant: our dedication to serving the nation each and every day to the very best of our abilities.”
Learn more about the Civil Works program by visiting www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/. AE
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