Briefs

Padilla Announces Over $631 Million to Support Climate Resilient Transportation Infrastructure in California

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that California will receive $631,410,543 over the next five years through the new Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) formula program. This funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration or FHWA will help states and communities better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events like wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat. This is a first-of-its-kind program, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Padilla authored an amendment included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to ensure that vegetation management along roadways, a critical activity to help prevent wildfires in California, is eligible under the PROTECT Program.

The PROTECT Formula Program is available to make transportation infrastructure more resilient to future weather events and other natural disasters by focusing on resilience planning, making resilience improvements to existing transportation assets and evacuation routes, and addressing at-risk highway infrastructure.  In general, eligible projects include highway and transit projects, bicycle and pedestrian facilities and port facilities including those that help improve evacuations or disaster relief. States are encouraged to work with regional and local partner organizations to prioritize transportation and emergency response improvements, as well as address vulnerabilities.

For more information about the new PROTECT Formula Program, please see FHWA’s website and fact sheet.

Reporters Desk

Recent Posts

Public Health Investigating Possible Local Spread of Clade I Mpox; Third Case Confirmed in Los Angeles County

So far in 2025, Public Health has reported 118 cases of clade II mpox.

18 hours ago

County Public Health Confirms Its First Case of Clade I Mpox

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed its first case of clade…

5 days ago

Voter Registration Deadline Approaching for 2025 Statewide Special Election

Register by Oct. 20 to Receive a vote by mail ballot; In-person Voting Begins Oct.…

5 days ago

Padilla, Peters File Amicus Brief Opposing Trump Administration’s Illegal Ploy to Purge Voter Rolls

The Senators warned that the requests for statewide voter registration files seek personally identifying and…

5 days ago

Governors Briefs: California to See New Homes for Veterans and State Reduces Cost of Prescription Drugs

The bill reforms the revenue generating abilities of PBMs, including prohibiting the practice of spread…

5 days ago

California’s Essential Programs and Benefits Remain Available

While this is a federal issue, California's state government remains open.

5 days ago