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On Tuesday, the Biden administration announced it will direct $366 million toward 17 renewable energy projects on Native American reservations and rural areas across the U.S. The projects will include solar, battery storage, and hydropower, and will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The announcement comes days after a federal agency granted Native American Tribes more authority to block hydropower projects on their land—a win for Tribes across the country, but particularly for those in the Southwest where extreme drought is raising concerns over water security. Water is especially of concern in the Navajo Nation, where around 30 percent of Tribal members don't have reliable access to clean drinking water due to a lack of funding and water infrastructure.
What's more, about a fifth of homes in the Navajo Nation do not have access to electricity, and nearly a third of homes that have electricity on Native American reservations in the U.S. report monthly outages.
The funding announced Tuesday will go to 30 Tribes, and at least 12 will be Tribal communities like the Navajo and Hopi Nations, who plan to install solar and battery energy storage systems to provide electricity for 300 homes.
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When there’s clarity about jurisdiction over Indian lands, it is easier for Tribes to work with others to protect public safety, public health and the natural environment.”
