REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT (TEXAS)

August 31, 2022

Trinity River Authority, Arlington, Texas

We just concluded our second Regional Spotlight on Texas on August 31, 2022, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we accomplished over a day. Registration and attendance were off the charts, we maxed out the room and had a top-tier presence by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE/Corps) and our participants.

We couldn’t have done it without our amazing partner, the Texas Water Conservation Association (Sarah Kirkle, you rock! It was a pleasure to work with you to plan this event), or our gracious and generous host and lunch sponsor, Trinity River Authority (a special shout-out to the very organized Amy Stelter, who went above and beyond to make this event special for participants and she exceeded expectations), our stellar networking break sponsors, Freese and Nichols and Gauge Engineering, and our phenomenal speakers and engaged audience.

Below are some notes from the meeting, as well as power point presentations (when available).

A huge thanks to everyone who attended!

NWC and TWCA conclude a successful face-to-face 2022 Regional Spotlight on Texas.

On behalf of NWC and TWCA, a huge thanks to everyone who attended our August 31, 2022, Regional Spotlight on Texas. The Regional Spotlight series was started by NWC last year to build and strengthen relationships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and nonfederal sponsors and stakeholders.

Over the course of a day, we dug into both USACE division and district priorities, before diving into sessions on better engagement with USACE districts, coastal protection and permitting and project development. It was a long but rewarding day for all!

Keynote: Updates from the Southwest Division (USACE)

NWC Chair, Tom Ray (Water Resources Program Manager, Lockwood, Andrews & Newman), kicked off the day by introducing Col. Ken Reed, Commander of USACE’s Southwestern Division (SWD) who provided an overview of the civil works portion of the division’s Campaign Plan, as well as how the SWD has changed processes for interacting with sponsors and stakeholders. Col. Reed stated that his goals were simple: be ready to answer the nation’s call, be relevant to the communities we serve and be responsive to stakeholders. He discussed the challenges and opportunities facing the division and highlighted several recurring themes that came up over the day—USACE has received an unprecedented amount of funds for projects (SWD alone received about $9 billion) and the staffing shortages that the agency faces across the region.

Resources

To view Col. Reed’s powerpoint, click here.

District Priorities & Updates

Our next session on USACE District Priorities and Updates was led by David Mitamura, Executive Director, National Water Supply Alliance, who introduced our next three speakers, Col. Jonathan S. Stover, Commander, Fort Worth District, USACE; Col. Rhett Blackmon, Commander, Galveston District, USACE; Col. Tim Hudson, Commander, Tulsa District, USACE. The commanders gave an overview of their districts and discussed their District Action Plans to achieve regional priorities and other priorities.

Resources:

How to Best Engage with Your USACE District

During this session, Linda Christie from the Tarrant Regional Water District was joined by Lee Conley, Tulsa District, USACE; Eric Verwers, Fort Worth District, USACE; and Gordon Wells, Freese & Nichols, Inc who discussed the best ways to engage with the districts for permits, studies, projects, and other issues. The speakers stressed the importance of building relationships and trust with Corps staff and gave some pointers. This session underlined the theme of the day: the importance of communication.

No powerpoints are available.

Engaging with USACE on Coastal Flooding

For our lunch session moderator Tony Williams, Texas General Land Office, led speakers Nicole Sunstrum,

Gulf Coast Protection District; Allen Sims, Jefferson County Drainage District 7; and Dawn Pilcher, LJA Engineering through a discussion of working with USACE on coastal flooding issues. The speakers discussed the federal and state rules that govern the process and the length and limits of USACE involvement. Then the speakers gave an overview of the status of their projects, including how they got them off of the ground, innovative funding and best practices for lessening coastal flooding risks through working together.

Resources

USACE Permitting

For our USACE Permitting session, moderator Becky Griffith, Freese and Nichols, quizzed speakers Vicki Dixon, former Regulatory Project Manager, Southwestern Division USACE;  Fred Anthamatten, former Chief Regulatory, Galveston District, USACE, now with Dawson & Associates; Brandon Mobley, Chief Regulatory, Fort Worth District, USACE; and RJ Muraski, Assistant Deputy Director, Capital Improvement Program, North Texas Municipal Water District, about the murky world of USACE permits—types of permits, when are they needed/used; timelines for the process, including internal and external; how USACE works with our federal agencies on permits; and tips and hints on how to make the permit process smoother.

Key messages speakers discussed:

  • Meet with the Corps early, even before applying for a permit, to determine whether you can modify the project to do a nationwide permit (rather than an individual permit which is more time-consuming and costly).
  • Having a seasoned consultant or staff can help you organize your permit requests.
  • Understand that USACE districts have different missions and that districts may bring other districts in to help with projects.
  • Find out how district staff likes to communicate. Keep in mind that if you have worked with one Corps district, you’ve worked with one district. Each district operates differently and has their own culture. Some staffers prefer to meet face-to-face, others prefer electronic communication. When in doubt, ask.
  • Document, document, document. The speakers gave examples where project managers change mid-project and in some cases there has been little documentation on pre-existing agreements.
  • Share intel and knowledge. If you receive correspondence about your USACE project/permit from an outside agency, give USACE a copy of the letter, to ensure everyone is on the same page.
  • USACE programs and rules change constantly. It is sometimes difficult for staff to keep up to date and understand the nuances of the new rules which may delay approvals.
  • There is a difference between 404 permits and 408 permissions. Some districts have 408 coordinators but not all. Keep in mind that if you have applied for both a 404 and 408 for the same project, the Corps is unable to grant the 404 permit until the 408 permission letter is sent.

No powerpoints are available.

USACE Project Development Process for Water and Waterways Projects   

For the last session of the day, moderator Ray Russo, former Chief, SWD CW Integration Division, USACE, joined by Brian Harper, Southwestern Division, USACE; Chris Sallese, DEC;  Kathy Spillane, Fort Worth District, USACE; and Tammy Washington, Southwestern Division, USAC, discussed USACE’s water development process, including the federal budget cycle and available funding within USACE.

Key messages:

  • Authorization, appropriations, apportionment. There are three stages to getting a large project funded. First, the project has to be authorized (usually in the Water Resources Development Act). Once authorized, it has to be funded through the annual appropriations process (Energy and Water appropriations bill) and then the funds need to apportioned by USACE. USACE cannot fund a large project without Congress’s approval.
  • Process to get Congressional approval is long and needs to be reviewed by the Assistant Secretary for Civil Works and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
  • There are different ways to get authorizations.
  • There is a right way to submit a proposal.
  • The Corps has alternative pots of funds and authorities for smaller projects. Visit with your USACE district to better understand the options available.

Resources:

To view the session’s comprehensive powerpoint, click here.

Thanks again to our host, Trinity River Authority, and to our sponsors, Freese and Nichols and Gauge Engineering!! We couldn’t have done it without you!

UPCOMING NWC AND TWCA EVENTS:

October 5 – 7, 2022: TWCA Fall Conference (San Antonio, Texas)

October 26 – 28, 2022: NWC Annual Meeting (Houston, Texas)

March 1-3, 2023; TWCA Annual Convention (Bastrop, Texas)

March 6 – 8, 2023: NWC Legislative Summit (Washington, D.C.)