Thompson Delivers $3.1 Million for Napa County Community Projects

Napa County, CA – Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced that three projects in Napa County will receive a total of $3,100,000 in funding from his community project funding requests. Rep. Thompson secured $13,317,000 total for projects in California’s Fourth District in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

“These investments will make a real difference for Napa County families,” said Thompson. “From improving grid resiliency in the face of natural disasters to expanding outdoor recreation and educational opportunities for people of all ages, this funding will help improve safety and life in Napa County. I’m proud to deliver funding that strengthens our communities and improve quality of life across our district.” 

“On behalf of the American Canyon City Council, I want thank Congressman Thompson for securing this $2.0 million federal investment in the Eco Center Project,” said American Canyon Mayor Pierre Washington. “This new funding helps moves this vision to reality in 2026. As the future home of the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation, the Eco Center will strengthen education, inspire stewardship, expand public access, and create a destination where residents and visitors will forge unmatched connections with the natural resources that make this location along the Napa River wetlands special for generations to come.”

“Congressman Thompson’s leadership and long-standing commitment to the Napa River Ecology Center have been instrumental in bringing this project to a shovel-ready stage,” said Janelle Sellick, Executive Director of the Napa River Ecology Center. “With this latest $2 million in federal funding, building on the $800,000 he secured in previous years, his support has been instrumental in moving the project from vision to reality. With its focus on stewardship, education, and conservation, the Napa River Ecology Center will become a vital community resource for generations to come. We are honored by the Congressman's support and excited for what lies ahead.”

“This community project funding turned years of planning into unstoppable momentum,” said Shawn White, Executive Director of the Napa Valley Vine Trail. “The Yountville–St. Helena Link will connect three segments of the 47-mile alternative transportation Napa Valley Vine Trail. It is the catalyst that accelerates alignment survey, environmental review, and engineering to turn a long-envisioned project into a tangible reality. With matching investments from the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition, Napa County, and the City of St. Helena, the project has completed three critical phases: project approval and environmental documentation, plans, specifications, and estimates. In a rural agricultural community that attracts millions of people worldwide, the Vine Trail demonstrates the strength of community connections, sustainability, and accessibility for all.”

"The Town of Yountville is honored to receive this federal funding, which affirms our commitment to climate resiliency and sustainable development,” said Yountville Mayor Margie Mohler and Vice Mayor Pam Reeves. “These funds will help us advance environmentally responsible design, reduce our long term environmental impact, and strengthen our community’s ability to adapt to a changing climate."

The projects are:

• $2,000,000 for the Napa River Ecology Center
• $850,000 for the Napa Valley Vine Trail Project
• $250,000 for the City of Yountville Microgrid Project

Background on these projects can be found below. 

Napa River Ecology Center Project: Provides $2 million to American Canyon to repurpose an industrial site into a regional destination for education, recreation and conservation. Once complete, the Napa River Ecology Center will feature an education center and gathering spaces, community walking paths, wildlife viewing deck, and an outdoor classroom. By removing blight and improving the site, the project generates new educational, economic and tourism benefits that are unique to the region. The site currently houses a county maintenance facility that over time has become surrounded by residents and trails, making this industrial use incompatible with the neighborhood. The project will remove physical and visual barriers to the adjacent Napa River wetlands while also rehabilitating/beautifying an existing building with architectural enhancements, ADA accessibility upgrades, energy efficient HVAC and lighting, and community-focused programmatic amenities. The site is located along the Bay Trail which is more than 350 miles, and connects communities, parks, open spaces, schools and transit. Because it is situated at sea level, the project will include resilience measures to protect against flooding, in addition to documenting weather events such as tidal flows and high-water events. The area adjacent to the site is an important migratory bird stop along the Pacific Flyway and is recognized for its abundance of flora and fauna, including several critical species. The project removes existing debris, equipment, pavement, and outbuildings thereby conserving and protecting the adjacent habitat for these species.

Napa Valley Vine Trail Project: Provides $850,000 for the Napa Valley Vine Trail. This funding will help finish the design phase of the eleven-mile paved path north from Yountville through St. Helena, parallel to SR-29. The project connects the currently-under-construction eight-mile section of the Vine Trail from Calistoga to St. Helena to the existing 12-mile Vine Trail from Yountville to downtown Napa, allowing residents to walk and cycle the full length of the Napa Valley. This project will close the gap in the 47-mile regional bicycle and pedestrian transportation network from the Vallejo Ferry Port to Calistoga, providing cyclists and pedestrians with a safe alternative to the use of SR-29 between Yountville and St. Helena and connections to schools, jobs, and services.

City of Yountville Microgrid Project: Provides $250,000 for the City of Yountville’s microgrid project which seeks to significantly enhance grid resiliency and reliability in the region which is frequently impacted by wildfires. The project will integrate renewable energy sources and increased battery storage to create a standalone power solution that can operate independently from the traditional power grid. This will provide reliable power to safeguard against increasing natural disasters in the region.

About Community Project Funding (CPF)

Each year, Members of Congress may direct federal funding to a select number of Community Projects through the appropriations process. Under this process, each House member is permitted to submit 15 project requests to the Appropriations Committee on behalf of their Congressional District so long as the projects meet criteria set forth by the Committee. There are no guarantees that Community Projects will all be funded, and the projects are competitively evaluated by the Committee on Appropriations.

Project selection and submissions is the first stage of the process for Community Project Funding. The projects are subject to a strict transparency and accountability process before they may be selected for inclusion in the relevant appropriations legislation for the upcoming year.

Find more information on Rep. Thompson’s CPFs here.