As lawmakers kicked off the legislative process for drafting the 2026 version of the biennial Water Resources Development Act, officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlined a new initiative to return the agency’s focus to core mission areas.Although few details and specifics about the plan have been made public, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle told lawmakers at two separate congressional hearings last week that the “Build Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative would provide greater focus on the Corps of Engineers’ core Civil Works missions while minimizing those considered non-core. It would also direct funding to projects that would provide the most benefit, and shorten permitting timelines. A Corps spokesman said that more details would be provided “soon.” The new program “will enable the U.S.…