WASHINGTON – Michael L. Connor, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, announced today during a visit to the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona that 12 communities from across the country will be the first to participate in a pilot program specifically designed to make federal investments in small or economically disadvantaged communities.
Funding is being provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed into law by President Joe Biden.
“Investing in small, historically neglected communities, including tribal nations, has been a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Connor. “We need to ensure all communities across the United States are treated equally, have the same access to funding, and receive the same consideration for critical infrastructure projects. This program is a great example of that priority.”
The 12 pilot projects are:
- City of Chevak, Alaska. To reduce the risk of erosion along the right bank of the Ninglikfak River.
- City of Galena, Alaska. To reduce the risk of erosion along the right bank of the Yukon River.
- Navajo Nation, Arizona. To reduce the flood risk to two primary access roads and residential structures.
- Marin City, California. To reduce flood risk.
- City of Boulder (Open Space and Mountain Parks), Colorado. To restore floodplains and wetlands on a publicly owned site near Boulder that is historically and culturally significant to the Arapaho and Cheyenne Nations.
- City of Arlington, Kentucky. To reduce the flood risk to the water and wastewater plants, and local businesses.
- City of Ludington, Michigan. To reduce the risk of erosion to critical infrastructure.
- City of Batesville, Mississippi. To reduce the flood risk to infrastructure and a state historic site.
- Omaha Tribe, Nebraska. To reduce the flood risk to local water wells.
- Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, South Dakota. To reduce the risk of erosion affecting cultural use of the area, restore riverine habitat and reduce overland pollution flows from agricultural lands.
- Cameron County, Texas. To restore Resacas’ (former Rio Grande Oxbows) hydrologic and ecosystem values.
- Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon. To improve fish passage along a creek in southeastern Washington by notching 63 federally constructed grade control sills to create a low-flow channel.
The pilot program was authorized as part of Section 165(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. This authority utilizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ existing authorities under the Continuing Authorities Program to pursue small civil works projects, which would normally require local cost sharing, at 100% federal funding. These authorities help communities address a range of water resources issues, from aquatic ecosystem restoration, to flood risk management, to commercial navigation.
Local USACE districts will work with project sponsors and local communities to move these projects into their planning, design and construction phases.
A solicitation for project proposals was issued in June 2023, when Connor established a review board comprised of subject matter experts from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and USACE to evaluate the 192 submitted proposals for eligibility and prioritization under the program.
The OASA(CW) establishes policy direction and provides supervision of the Department of the Army functions relating to all aspects of the Army Civil Works Program. For more information, please contact Matt Rabe at 503-265-9150.