The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides comprehensive planning, design, construction and engineering management support to the Army and the nation. Within the scope of this mission, Department of Defense entities can engage the Corps, on a cost reimbursement basis, to act as an extension of their staff. In cases where unique engineering support is unavailable through private sector architect-engineer firms, the Corps may be permitted to provide technical support to non-DoD federal agencies, to states and to localities. The Thomas Amendment, Section 211, Water Resources Development Act of 2000, discusses when the Corps can provide specialized or technical services to a state or local government. USACE supports the
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Superfund Program, upon EPA request, by managing design and construction contracts and providing technical assistance in support of remedial response cleanup of hazardous waste sites. USACE also is a partner with EPA and other federal agencies in helping communities prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse Brownfields. Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.