Decentralizing Environmental Compliance and Facility Project Funding

摘要

Civil Engineering Facility Project funding and Environmental Compliance fundingare micro-managed by Headquarters Air Force Space Command. This provides specific benefits for the Headquarters staff, but a drastic negative impact on program execution at base level organizations. Funds are provided to the 30 Space Wing by HQ Air Force Space Command Financial Management in coordination with the Command Civil Engineer. The funds are authorized and controlled at command by Element of Expense within each Program Element. The Wing Commander is not allowed to plan or budget for either Environmental Compliance or Facility Projects. The installation commander receives Budget Authority at the Budget Activity Code level but has absolutely no authority to use the funds in either Environmental Compliance or Facility Projects for anything except the specific item the funding came down for. In the case of Environmental Compliance, it can only be used in the specific EEIC originally programmed. Facility Project funding can only be used for the specific project originally identified. To reprogram Facility Project or Environmental Compliance funds to accomplish a higher priority requirement, the commander must request reprogramming approval from HQ AFSPC/CE. They require a written request for every transfer. This approval system is a continuous source of problems due to the lack of funding flexibility, the number of reprogramming involved, the lost time caused by each reprogramming, and the paperwork involved. HQ AFSPC/CE and HQ AFSPC/FM should give the installation commander the formal authority to plan, budget and execute the funds that are available within the applicable Budget Activity Code and Program Element without requiring reprogramming approval for Environmental Compliance and Facility Project funding.