Tracking U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Funding in the IIJA

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) employs over 30,000 civilians and soldiers to deliver engineering services. This includes the Civil Works division tasked with overseeing the construction, operation, and maintenance of many critical infrastructure systems, including navigation, water supply, flood and storm protection, and aquatic ecosystem restoration projects. Over the years, Congress has authorized new construction activities and projects but failed to fully appropriate the necessary funding—leading to a $100 billion backlog in authorized construction projects.

Signed into law in November 2021, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act provided about $17 billion to the USACE—more than twice USACE’s appropriated funding of $7.8 billion for civil works in fiscal year 2021—to help address its project backlog.

Of the IIJA funding, nearly 70% of the funds were designated to the Corps’ Construction account, the primary fund for new projects. Nearly 25% of the funds were directed to the Operation and Maintenance account, and another 5% were directed to an account for the Mississippi River and tributaries.

USACE recently announced the projects it plans to fund in fiscal year 2022 with money from IIJA, including over $7 billion in construction. See the map of which states received construction funding below.