LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- 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 Dan 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.”
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District
In alignment with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works' "Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork" initiative, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District will prioritize investments across its core Civil Works missions: flood risk management, hydropower, navigation and regulatory permitting. The district will work with our headquarters to eliminate bureaucratic delays that will allow us to quickly and safely deliver critical infrastructure faster and at less cost to the American taxpayer.
The Little Rock District manages approximately $30 billion in federal water resources infrastructure across Arkansas and southern Missouri, including 12 dams and reservoirs, 13 navigation locks and dams, seven hydropower plants and 308 miles of commercial navigation channel. The district is also one of the most visited in USACE, receiving approximately 20 million visits annually across 750,000 acres of public lands and water.
The district will prioritize operations and maintenance funding across its flood risk management dams and reservoirs, which protect lives, communities, agriculture and critical infrastructure while supporting 31 water supply agreements totaling 480,000 acre-feet of storage. Current investments include the Table Rock conduit equalization piping project and the Clearwater service gate repair project, ensuring these systems remain dependable during flood operations.
"Maintaining our 12 dams and reservoirs is fundamental to protecting lives and property across Arkansas and southern Missouri," said Col. Eric Swenson, Little Rock District commander. "These projects have prevented more than $7.7 billion in damages including $173 million in FY24 alone. By eliminating bureaucratic delays and focusing on our core mission, we can deliver these critical improvements with the speed and efficiency Americans deserve."
The district will prioritize hydropower rehabilitation beginning with the Norfork powerhouse, followed by Bull Shoals. The Beaver powerhouse rehabilitation is scheduled for completion in March 2026, supported by prioritized operations and maintenance funding including support from the Southwestern Power Administration. These plants must remain available to meet peak power demands during extreme summer heat and winter cold while supporting regional grid stability and nationally recognized trout fisheries that generate millions in annual tourism revenue.
"The 'Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork' initiative empowers us to make fast, clear decisions and keep our 27 hydropower units reliable and ready," said Swenson. "Generating more than 3,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to power roughly 400,000 homes, these plants are essential to energy security, water management and economic growth across the region."
Through the Three Rivers Project and 110-foot stop log conversions, the district is simultaneously protecting the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System and rehabilitating aging lock infrastructure, delivering critical maintenance without interrupting the commercial traffic that depends on the system. The MKARNS spans 445 miles from the Mississippi River to the Port of Catoosa near Tulsa, Oklahoma, with the Little Rock District responsible for 308 miles through Arkansas.
“Modernizing our navigation infrastructure is essential to keeping commerce moving at an affordable cost,” said Swenson. "The MKARNS moves approximately 11.3 million tons of cargo annually to markets across 18 states and around the world. By streamlining processes and returning our focus to core mission delivery, we can sustain this vital economic corridor for decades to come.”
The "Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork" initiative also directs the district to shorten permitting timelines and reduce regulations that slow project delivery. The Little Rock District averages more than 2,500 finalized regulatory actions annually, including approximately 600 permits per year. Cutting red tape across the permitting process will accelerate approvals throughout the district, providing the fast, clear decisions that communities, industry and infrastructure partners need.
More information about the Little Rock District is available at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace, and on the USACE Little Rock Water Levels mobile app at www.swl.usace.army.mil/Home/water-control-app/.
ASA(CW) Memorandums
Added: 3/2/2026