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Why the Senate Must Confirm Civilian Leadership Over the Army Corps of Engineers
By William P. Doyle — The U.S. Senate must act to confirm federal agency leadership—starting with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA(CW)). As of August 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues to operate without confirmed civilian oversight. The Trump administration nominated Adam Telle on March 24, 2025, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has already reported his nomination favorably. Yet the full Senate has failed to vote.
Why does this matter? Because without clear civilian leadership, entrenched agency inertia—if not outright bureaucratic obstruction—continues unchecked.
Bureaucracy Over Science: The Dredging “Window” Problem
Each year, USACE district offices impose “recommended” dredging windows that severely constrain critical navigation projects. This is especially acute along the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic coasts, where districts like Norfolk (VA), Wilmington (NC), Charleston (SC), Savannah (GA), and Jacksonville (FL) act as de facto gatekeepers, citing conservation recommendations rooted in outdated or unsupported science.
Take this clause from a Norfolk District solicitation:
Conservation Recommendation: To the extent practicable, you should avoid dredging in the spring (March–May) and fall (September–November), when listed species are most likely to occur in the action area.
Let’s be clear: “should” and “recommended” do not mean “shall.” Yet in practice, these “recommendations” are treated as binding. The Norfolk District routinely blocks dredging during these months, eliminating half the year from project calendars, regardless of project urgency or scientific justification.
The consequences are real. Maintenance and expansion dredging—needed to sustain and grow commerce through ports like Wilmington, Charleston, and Brunswick—are delayed or canceled. These are ports vital to both national and economic security. They are rightsizing, modernizing, and positioning themselves for strategic relevance—but USACE red tape is holding them back.
Section 8205: A Study Mired in Bureaucratic Limbo
The problem goes beyond permitting delays. Section 8205 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2022 directed USACE to conduct a comprehensive study on U.S. dredge capacity. Congress reinforced the directive in WRDA 2024 by requiring annual updates in the Corps’ budget-summary reports.
As of today, that study still hasn’t been released—not even for public comment. It is my understanding, the draft report is complete and ready for a 30-day comment period. It was expected to be released in June, following discussion at the National Dredge Meeting. Yet the report remains stalled—caught somewhere between the Corps’ Navigation Division and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Works.
Let’s call it what it is: slow-rolling by the federal bureaucracy. Someone(s) in the career Senior Executive Service (SES) ranks appears to be blocking its release. This is exactly the kind of deep-state behavior that fuels public distrust and undermines progress.
President Trump’s Orders: A Path Forward, if Agencies Cooperate
Recent executive orders from President Trump provide a clear mandate to modernize. Three in particular offer the legal authority and regulatory urgency:
These orders direct federal agencies to streamline permitting and cut outdated regulations. That includes the USACE, which is instructed to fast-track infrastructure projects like maintenance dredging and harbor deepening.
Yet even with presidential direction, some districts resist. Earlier this year, Brunswick Harbor (GA)—a port of growing strategic importance—was denied scheduled maintenance dredging. This drew bipartisan fire: Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock sent a joint letter to the ASA(CW) and the Chief of Engineers expressing “deep concern.” Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), chair of the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, has repeatedly called out similar delays.
Leadership Needed Now
Until Congress can address these issues more fully in WRDA 2026, federal executive leadership must act. That starts with the confirmation of the ASA for Civil Works.
The Corps needs direction. The industry needs predictability. America needs functional infrastructure agencies—not self-governing fiefdoms.
It’s time for the Senate to do its job. Confirm Adam Telle. Let’s get to work.
About the Author: William P. Doyle is CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America. He previously served as Executive Director of the Port of Baltimore and as a U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner. A graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Widener University Commonwealth Law School, he is a licensed officer in the U.S. merchant marine and a member of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (AFL-CIO).
This opinion piece is that of the author’s and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of gCaptain.
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