Department of Defense — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Program Description

Mission

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) provides assistance in development and management of the nation’s water resources in an environmentally sustainable, economic and technically sound manner.

Brownfields Connections

Aligning water resources development and management efforts with community brownfields objectives by providing reimbursable technical services to other federal agencies engaged in brownfields activities — targeted to local governments working with federal agencies.
Executes Civil Works water resource projects emphasizing integrated and sustainable systems-based solutions for ecosystem restoration, inland and coastal navigation, and flood and storm damage reduction — targeted to state and local governments.

Resources

Technical Assistance

Reimbursable Support

USACE may perform technical oversight and management of engineering, environmental and construction contracts, including technical assistance for brownfields-related activities, for non-Department of Defense (DOD) federal agencies, and states. The work is fully funded by the customer (e.g. local government).

Uses/Applications: Grants and technical resources can be used for brownfields related activities including:

Technical and project management capabilities are available for most water and land related natural resources activities

Engineering, facility design, construction management and other technical services

Environmental restoration

Planning Assistance

USACE provides planning assistance for utilization and conservation of the water and related resources of drainage basins.

Eligibility Requirements: Eligible entities include states and Indian tribes.

Limitations: Planning assistance requires a 50 percent cost share between USACE and the non-federal sponsor.

Availability: Demand for planning assistance more often than not exceeds available funding.

Centers of Corps Expertise

There are several USACE Centers of Expertise whose specialized capabilities could be helpful in solving specific brownfields challenges. These include the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections Center of Expertise; the Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste Center of Expertise; the Photogrammetric Mapping Center; the expert center on Preservation of Historic Buildings and Structures; and the Rapid Response Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Center. Assistance from these Centers is generally available on a reimbursable basis.

Limitations: Reimbursable support from USACE is not available to private entities.

Availability: Priority is given to requests for support that have national significance.

Uses/Applications:

Preservation of historic buildings and structures

Rapid response to hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste incidents

Attract investors and private sector stakeholders

Coordinate acid mine drainage cleanup with other infrastructure issues (e.g. waste water systems)

Historic Preservation Assistance:
http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/PublicMenu/Menu.cfm?sitename=historic&pagename=mainpage

Photogrammetric Mapping Center: http://mvs-wc.mvs.usace.army.mil/tcx.html

Preservation of Historic Buildings and Structures: http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/PublicMenu/Menu.cfm?sitename=historic&pagename=mainpage

SNAPSHOT
Cowpens, South Carolina

When a baby clothes manufacturing plant closed in 1990, Cowpens, South Carolina lost more than 400 jobs and gained abandoned buildings containing unknown amounts of contamination. Inside the dormant facility, 85 drums of industrial chemicals were discovered with no responsible party to pay for cleanup. The project successfully leveraged funding for technical services related to the cleanup of the property and development of a proposed Industrial Ecology Park, including $40,000 from USACE to conduct a ground water sampling investigation on the site and in the surrounding community.

Additional Information

Kip Huston
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Attn: CECW-MVD
441 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20548
202-761-4574
kip.r.huston@usace.army.mil

Jane Mergler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Attn: CEMP-SWD
441 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20548
202-761-0314
jane.a.mergler@usace.army.mil

Mark Mimick
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Hazardous, Toxic & Radioactive Waste Center of Expertise Specialists
12565 West Center Road
Omaha, Nebraska 68144-3869
402-697-2558
mark.l.mimick@usace.army.mil

Main Website: http://www.usace.army.mil

Region 3 | Mid-Atlantic Cleanup | Mid-Atlantic Brownfields & Land Revitalization