Alex Padilla U.S. Senator for California

Funding will improve water quality, upgrade transit infrastructure, provide social support services, and expand educational programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that he secured over $43.5 million in federal funding for 22 projects across the Central Valley in the bipartisan FY 2023 appropriations package. The bill now heads to both chambers of Congress for final passage and then on to the President to be signed into law.

“I am proud to have secured funding for projects in the Central Valley to address homelessness and the housing crisis, upgrade water infrastructure, and improve public transit options,” Senator Padilla said. “This funding will support local governments and community organizations that work to directly benefit our neighborhoods. As California and the Central Valley face a historic drought, I am continuing to fight for federal investment to protect and improve our clean water supply.”

Projects across the Central Valley that will receive federal funding through the FY 2023 Appropriations Omnibus include:

• $7 million for the Stanislaus Council of Governments’ SR 132 West Project Phase 2
  This funding will purchase right-of-way for a project to improve transportation and goods movement in the Central Valley.

• $6.1 million for San Joaquin Valley Drought Relief for Wildlife Refugees
  This will fund shovel-ready water supply projects for California’s wildlife refuges. This relief funding will help to create new water supply and create resiliency at California wildlife refuges and the last remaining 5% of wetlands in the Central Valley.

• $5 million for the Kings County Area Public Transit Agency’s Regional Multi-Modal Transit Center
  This funding will help construct a new Regional Multi-Modal Transit Center in downtown Hanford.

• $4 million for the Calwa Complete Streets Project in Fresno County
  This project will include improvements to streets and sidewalks with an emphasis on ADA compliance, such as ADA-compliant pedestrian facilities to improve community health and encourage alternative transportation to lower vehicle miles traveled.

• $3.45 million for Stanislaus County’s Crows Landing Water Wells Project
  This project will replace the nitrate treatment equipment at Well 295 to deliver safe drinking water to the residents of Grayson, a disadvantaged community on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley.

• $2.5 million for West Kern Community College District/Taft College’s Healthcare Vocational Center
  West Kern Community College District/Taft College serves a rural hospital-less community with limited to no health care education opportunities in an area with urgent health care professional shortages. Funding will support construction of a Vocational Center to address the severe shortage of healthcare professionals in the Central Valley.

• $2.1 million for the Hanford Intercity Rail Station Community Safety and Accessibility Enhancement Project
  This funding will help improve the safety, accessibility, and user condition of the Hanford Intercity Rail Station. The station connects travelers from the Central Valley to San Luis Obispo County, as well as to the many rural communities in between that are served by Amtrak’s San Joaquin trains and Thruway buses.

• $2 million to Modesto Junior College for Regional Fire Science Training Programs
  This funding will help purchase training equipment for the Modesto Junior College Regional Fire Training Center. The Regional Fire Training Center is an accredited regional training program with the California State Fire Marshal Office and offers entry- and advanced-level emergency responder training.

• $1.75 million for the City of Modesto’s Grayson Well and Tank Replacement
  This funding will support the replacement of nitrate treatment equipment to improve the safety of drinking water for residents of the Grayson community.

• $1.5 million for the City of Tulare’s Emergency Homeless Shelter Construction
  This funding will support the construction of an emergency homeless shelter. 

• $1.5 million for Construction of a New Water Well in the City of Dinuba
  This funding will support the building of a new water well to provide safe, clean, and reliable drinking water.

• $1.15 million for a New Water Well in the Community of Woodville in Tulare County
  This funding will support the drilling and equipping of a new water well in the community of Woodville in rural Tulare County, improving the stability and safety of the water supply, which has been compromised during drought conditions.

• $1 million for the City of Fresno’s Tiny Home Project
  This funding will help the City of Fresno build tiny homes, which will provide a new option for those in shelters seeking to transition to longer-term affordable housing options. This project will maximize existing vacant pads in mobile home parks to create a new permanent affordable housing option.

• $1 million for the City of Modesto’s Mental Health Crisis Response System
  This funding will help launch a comprehensive Mental Health Crisis Response System pilot program to better address emergency service calls involving individuals experiencing mental health crises.

• $1 million for Streets Repaving in the Community of Tranquility
  This funding will support reconstructing roads, constructing and repairing sidewalks, and adding bike lanes in the community of Tranquility.

• $750,000 for the San Joaquin Valley Water Collaborative Action Program
  This funding will support the San Joaquin Valley Water Collaborative Action Program, which works to ensure a sustainable and resilient water supply for the San Joaquin Valley by securing safe, reliable, and affordable access to water for drinking; sustainable and productive farms and ranches; healthy communities; and thriving terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

• $561,000 for Veterans and Seniors Building Renovation and Improvements in the City of Hanford
  This funding will help make necessary upgrades to the Hanford Veterans and Senior Building, including safety and accessibility improvements. 

• $500,000 for Water Delivery System in the City of Tulare
  This funding will support construction of a system to deliver water to the northern sector of the city, ensuring equitable access to clean water for tens of thousands of residents.

• $200,000 for Drinking Water Kiosks in Tulare County
  This funding will help provide access to safe clean drinking water for Tulare County residents through strategically placed drinking water kiosks.

• $200,000 for Redbank and Fancher Creeks
  This funding will support a US Army Corps study to evaluate the feasibility of a reoperation of Big Dry Creek Reservoir. 

• $150,000 for a Solar Array to Power a Water Well in Allensworth
  This funding will support the installation of solar arrays to power the community’s Allensworth water well, reducing energy costs and improving water affordability.

• $125,000 for Legacy Health Endowment’s Person-Centered Care Community Living Pilot Program in Stanislaus and Merced Counties
  This funding will help create and pilot a long-term care program, with wraparound medical and non-medical services, to support socially isolated seniors and family caregivers in Stanislaus and Merced Counties.

A full summary of the FY 2023 Appropriations Omnibus package is available here.

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