The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. General Services Administration announced $288 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding for construction projects at the DHS headquarters in southeast Washington, D.C.
The funding will be used to complete the relocation of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency headquarters and Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters to the St. Elizabeths campus, as well as the construction of a new 1,500-space parking garage, according to an Aug. 17 news release.
“Locating more of our agencies together enables the Department of Homeland Security to be more cohesive, efficient and effective. The Inflation Reduction Act funding announced today will help our Department fulfill its mission to keep our country safe,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in the release. “These projects will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually and model modern environmental and sustainability standards.”
The intended outcome of these new construction projects is the generation of supplementary office space to accommodate approximately 6,500 personnel. This alignment is designed to centralize leadership and agencies within DHS under a single principal headquarters, the release said. This unification is projected to foster enhanced integration and collaboration, enhancing the Department's preparedness to address both present and future threats.
These financial investments within the IRA framework hold the dual purpose of curbing consumer expenses and advancing the global clean energy economy. As a consequence, this funding is pivotal in the transformation and durability enhancement of DHS facilities, in harmony with the sustainability objectives of the Biden-Harris administration, the release reported.
Aligned with President Joe Biden's Buy Clean campaign to stimulate investment in environmentally friendly construction materials, this undertaking will deploy low-embodied carbon concrete, steel and asphalt for both fresh structures and the rehabilitation of pre-existing edifices, according to the release.
Upon the successful execution of the DHS campus amalgamation, the aggregate number of headquarters will be reduced from 40 to six, leading to a reduction of the DHS presence within the National Capital Region by a substantial 1.2 million square feet – a space equivalent to 27.5 acres or 21 football fields. This endeavor is expected to culminate in a noteworthy $1.3 billion in savings for taxpayers across the ensuing three decades, the release said.
