Should the Army Decide What Projects are Right for Your Neighborhood?

In an opinion piece for Bloomberg View, Edward Glaeser argues that the Army Corps of Engineers' influence on development in local communities is too far-reaching.

1 minute read

August 28, 2012, 1:00 PM PDT

By Emily Williams


News that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently approved the construction of a garbage transfer station to be located in Manhattan's Upper East Side, inspired Glaeser's screed against the Corps' authority. Argues Glaeser, "We need a system where the Army Corps is confined to providing engineering expertise and transportation funding, in the same way that federal school spending is tied to performance."

Glaeser doesn't necessarily oppose programs put in place by the Corps, but he isn't keen on the idea that they are running the show, and claims local stakeholders have better know-how to evaluate projects' possible impacts. A prime example of the Corps' deficiencies, he writes, was the flood system that failed during Hurricane Katrina. For Glaeser the lesson learned from New Orleans is that, "The delegation of responsibility to a remote authority seems sure to create future disasters."

He emphasizes the importance of comprehensiveness in project approvals, and believes that agencies like the Army Corps and the EPA are vital to the process, but should not be given final authority. "Let the EPA evaluate the environmental consequences of infrastructure," he says, "but then ensure that final decision-making power sits with a body that will consider more than just the environment."

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 in Bloomberg

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight