February 23, 2026 - FRESNO, CA — On Friday, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that he secured over $37.2 million in federal funding for 16 projects across the Central Valley through Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills. This funding is part of the $241,794,366 in total Congressionally Directed Spending funding that Padilla delivered for California for FY 2026.

“I am proud to help secure millions in federal funding to support transformative projects that will deliver lasting improvements for Central Valley communities,” said Senator Padilla. “These investments will support local governments and non-profits working on the ground in our communities. They will strengthen access to safe, clean water and sanitation, including by making long-needed water transmission infrastructure upgrades for the Tule River Tribe. As Californians struggle with the rising cost of living under President Trump’s harmful economic agenda, these crucial investments will make a tangible difference for Central Valley residents.”

Projects across the Central Valley that will receive federal funding include:

• Intake Structure and Pipeline Improvement – $14.60 million: This project replaces aging water transmission infrastructure and ensures reliable, safe water access for the Tule River Tribe.

• Medical Education, Including the Purchase of Equipment (UC Merced) – $3.50 million: This funding will be used to support nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, physical therapy, and medical programs to train future physicians and health professionals.

• Kaweah River Siphon Resiliency Project – $3.50 million: This project conducts design, permitting, and construction of a siphon on the Tulare Irrigation District’s main intake canal.

• Grangeville Boulevard Grade Separation Project – $2 million: This project will fund a grade separation at Grangeville Boulevard in Hanford to eliminate railroad crossing conflicts and improve traffic safety.

• Mendota Community Center Project – $2 million: This funding supports the City of Mendota in building its new community center.

• New Well Project – $2 million: The project aims to drill a new well to provide a reliable and safe drinking water source, ensuring sustainability for the community’s water system in Kings County.

• Modesto & Empire Terminal Railroad Positive Train Control Installation – $1.93 million: This project installs positive train control safety technology on the Modesto & Empire Terminal Railroad to prevent train-to-train collisions.

• South MLK Sewer Project – $1.50 million: This project will modernize and expand the wastewater system along Cottonwood Road/MLK Drive to support the construction of over 5,000 new housing units in southeast Bakersfield.

• South Trunk Sewer Project – $1.50 million: This funding will consolidate small sewer systems at multiple mobile home parks to resolve public health and water quality concerns.

• North Fork Water System Project – $1.10 million: This funding will support the consolidation of water systems into one larger community system, provide treatment to address arsenic contaminants, and address water storage for fire flow.

• Water Tower Replacement – $1.09 million: This project replaces this old end-of-useful-life water tower with a 500,000-gallon steel ground-mounted water tank, which will drastically increase the water available to a major portion of the City of Dinuba.

• Water System Intertie – $1 million: This funding for a bidirectional pipeline will allow the Chowchilla Water District and the Le Grand Athlone Water District to share water in certain years.

• Mariposa County 6th Street Pedestrian Bridge Project – $737,000: This project builds a pedestrian bridge on 6th Street in Mariposa County to provide safe school and community access.

• Facility Construction (Gustine Unified School District) – $366,000: This funding will be used to establish wellness centers at Gustine Middle and Gustine High School to house behavioral health programming for students and families.

• City of Huron Police Vehicle Conversion Project – $280,000: This project converts the Huron Police Department vehicle fleet to hybrid or electric vehicles to reduce fuel costs.

• Goshen Sewer Study – $150,000: This project includes a feasibility study for the Goshen Community Service District to conduct an analysis to identify alternatives to address the volume, chemical makeup, and future disposal options for their wastewater, and the feasibility of the connection to a future North County Sewer treatment facility.

More information on these appropriations bills is available here, here, and here.

Source: Senator Alex Padilla