In 2026, efforts by the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers to streamline tasks nationwide by way of its “Constructing Infrastructure Not Paperwork” initiative have introduced new urgency and new threat to Everglades restoration. Whereas the trouble is meant to speed up timelines by lowering procedural delays and expediting opinions, it additionally makes clear that federal priorities are shifting: Initiatives that ship the best nationwide financial return and group security advantages will come first, usually forward of these centered totally on ecological restoration. For the Everglades, that tradeoff raises actual issues.
The initiative directs the Corps to prioritize and speed up tasks tied to infrastructure resilience and public security, whereas rating — and probably deauthorizing — lower-priority efforts. It shortens examine and building timelines, tightens value and schedule limits, expands reliance on mitigation banking and non-federal funding, and streamlines allowing, together with Part 408 opinions to approve adjustments to infrastructure tasks. Elevated oversight from the assistant secretary of the Military is meant to make sure tasks align with these nationwide priorities. Taken collectively, these adjustments are designed to ship infrastructure tasks quicker — however not essentially to advance ecosystem restoration on the similar tempo or precedence.
Everglades restoration doesn’t lend itself to shortcuts. It will depend on cautious planning, rigorous modeling, and science-based safeguards to make sure that water is moved, saved, and handled in ways in which truly restore the system. These steps should not bureaucratic hurdles, they’re what stop expensive errors and unintended ecological hurt. As streamlining strikes ahead, the important thing query isn’t just how rapidly tasks will be delivered, however which tasks rise to the highest and whether or not essential restoration efforts are sidelined in favor of these with extra fast financial or security returns.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 State of the Everglades Report.
