USACE Announces Unprecedented Approach to Protect Juneau, Alaska from Mendenhall Glacier Floods

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of the Interior announced Friday their intent to undertake a never-before-seen "Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork" (BINP) approach to protect Juneau, Alaska, from future glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). The Corps will soon solicit proposals to tackle the GLOF phenomenon in a way that seeks to expedite real, cutting-edge infrastructure prototypes on a faster timeline and at a significantly lower cost to taxpayers, deliberately avoiding burdensome processes and paperwork.

The Mendenhall GLOF challenge is an entirely unique problem across the entire Army Civil Works enterprise. Under standard processes, a lasting solution to the Mendenhall GLOF would likely have taken an unacceptably slow 10-plus years and more than $1 billion to complete. Recognizing that an unprecedented challenge requires an unprecedented solution, USACE is working on a brand-new approach to decimate both the cost and this unacceptable timeline.

"The Mendenhall glacial outburst flooding challenge in Juneau, Alaska is unlike any other in the modern Corps of Engineers portfolio, which is why it requires a solution unlike any other," said Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. "I am proud of our progress under President Trump's leadership to provide short-term measures for this community, and we are working behind the scenes with the Alaska Congressional delegation on an innovative long-term solution. Doing so is only possible because the President's leadership commands his team to work across bureaucratic lines to solve tough problems, often by creatively layering our authorities to tackle unique challenges like this one in unprecedented ways. Finding unique, common-sense ways to solve the most difficult water infrastructure problems is what Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork is all about, and we intend to deliver the real, lasting safety Juneau deserves, at Trump Speed."

"The Corps' new 'Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork' process is exactly the kind of approach my team and I, and the people of Juneau, have been asking for to protect our capital city from the recurring threat of glacial outburst flooding," said Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan. "Thankfully, no lives have been lost to date, and a short-term solution is in place with the HESCO barriers. But with another outburst potentially just days away, the urgency of delivering a long-term fix could not be clearer. From the day he took office, Assistant Secretary Telle listened to the people of Juneau, learned what was at stake, and agreed with me that another decade of studies and red tape and exorbitant costs to taxpayers are simply unacceptable. I appreciate Assistant Secretary Telle, the Corps, and the administration for cutting through the bureaucracy and bringing speed, efficiency, and their best minds to this uniquely Alaskan challenge."

"I appreciate the announcement made today by the Corps, USDA, and Interior to prioritize timely solutions over endless bureaucracy. That's the right perspective, because a flood of red tape won't do anything to end the glacial outburst floods that have plagued Juneau in recent years," said Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski. "I also want to credit the people of Juneau, who have worked hard to design lower-cost options that will protect their community faster and better. They have put forward good ideas, worked with the congressional delegation to get those ideas into federal hands, and made the case to our agency partners that we can do this in a way that benefits everyone. Even as we prepare for another damaging flood, the federal process is moving in the right direction, and I will help ensure it delivers everything that Juneau needs as soon as humanly possible."

"The Mendenhall glacial lake outburst floods have presented a unique challenge and growing threat in Southeast Alaska, and I'm encouraged to see the Administration and the Army Corps of Engineers pursuing an innovative approach that prioritizes delivering real solutions over an unreasonably lengthy process relative to the very real interim risk to life and property," said Congressman Nick Begich. "I'm grateful to have worked alongside the Alaska delegation, the Administration, and the Corps to help advance this effort, and I appreciate their commitment to finding a permanent, cost-effective solution that protects Juneau families and businesses."

"Flooding from Mendenhall Glacier's Suicide Basin poses a serious risk to residents of Juneau, Alaska," said Stephen Alexander Vaden, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Public lands are meant to serve the public interest, and the Forest Service is committed to using the lands it manages to help protect communities from nature's ravages. USDA is proud to partner with the Army Corps of Engineers and will do everything within our authority to ensure it has access to Forest Service lands and the support it needs. USDA is proud to step up to the plate and partner with the people of Juneau to solve this longstanding problem."

"The Department of the Interior is committed to protecting the people, communities and public lands of Alaska through practical, results-driven solutions," said Deputy of the Interior Secretary Kate MacGregor. "The Mendenhall Glacier outburst flood threat requires decisive action and innovative solutions, not bureaucratic delays. By working alongside our federal, state and local partners, we are helping advance an approach that accelerates real infrastructure solutions, safeguards lives and property, and ensures taxpayer dollars are spent delivering results rather than unnecessary process."

"It is critical that we provide the people of Juneau with the infrastructure needed to prevent the predictable, life-threatening floods that have threatened the city for over a decade." said Emily Domenech, Permitting Council Executive Director. "For far too long, we've allowed permitting delays and bureaucracy to hold back creative solutions to problems like this across the country. But under President Trump's leadership, we're throwing out the business-as-usual approach and utilizing all our statutory authorities to get projects built, protect our communities, and grow our economy. Building off our strong partnership with the State of Alaska, the Permitting Council is committed to working with the U.S. Army Corps and other federal agencies to ensure an efficient and transparent environmental review process and will utilize our Transparency Dashboard to list and coordinate permitting for this vital project."

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is committed to delivering a resilient, long-term solution to the glacial lake outburst flooding in Mendenhall Valley," said Brig. Gen. Joseph "Clete" Goetz, Commanding General of the Pacific Ocean Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "We are breaking away from traditional acquisition timelines to rapidly harness industry-led innovation and technical expertise. This prototype is a critical step forward in our coordinated effort to protect downstream communities and minimize flood risk."

"Our community is facing an annual emergency unlike any other in the country, and Assistant Secretary Telle and his team are going on offense to find a solution unlike any other," said City and Borough of Juneau Mayor Beth

Weldon. "It's hard to express how grateful we are for the USACE's fast-tracked approach to solving to Juneau's glacial lake outburst flooding and the threat and anxiety facing our residents every year. Juneau stands ready to support the Corps' work to get this completed as quickly as possible."

The Mendenhall flooding presents a clear and present danger to Alaskans, and the local community cannot afford to wait on Washington to navigate its own red tape. By stripping away bureaucratic inertia and adopting an aggressive operational tempo, this collaborative partnership prioritizes actual construction and immediate safety over endless paperwork. This streamlined approach ensures federal resources are deployed rapidly to design and execute a resilient engineering solution, protecting American taxpayers from the ballooning costs traditionally associated with decades-long project delays.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently completed the second phase (Phase 2) of temporary flood mitigation measures in the Mendenhall River Valley in Juneau, Alaska, designed to increase protection for the capital city under threat by the 2026 glacial lake outburst flood. As it prepared for the 2026 GLOF, the Trump Administration was working quietly to build an approach to give Alaska long-term certainty at an acceptable cost and schedule. The forthcoming BINP initiative will aim to deliver a permanent, innovative infrastructure solution that secures the community for the long-term. The Corps of Engineers will make a formal solicitation related to this challenge in August after the Administration's unprecedented efforts to mitigate the impacts of the 2026 GLOF are realized.

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