The U.S. Department of the Interior unveiled a groundbreaking initiative, backed by $72.5 million in initial funding from President Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda, aimed at bringing electricity to Tribal communities’ homes. This momentous investment marks a significant stride toward the objective of electrifying all homes in Indian Country using renewable energy sources. Additionally, it aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s ambitious goal of achieving a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035. The announcement coincides with the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), hailed as the largest climate investment in U.S. history. The funding announcement represents a portion of the overall $150 million allocation from the IRA, specifically dedicated to supporting the electrification of Tribal homes.
Addressing the urgency of climate change, Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized the administration’s commitment to mitigating its impacts on communities, saying, “Climate change is the crisis of our lifetimes and has left far too many communities managing for worsening water challenges, extreme heat, devastating wildfires, and unprecedented storms. Every action we take now to lessen the impacts for future generations is critical. Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re launching a new program to electrify Indian Country to provide reliable, resilient energy that Tribes can rely on, and advance our work to tackle the climate crisis and build a clean energy future.”
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland underscored the transformative impact of this funding on Tribal communities, commenting, “This funding from the President’s Investing in America agenda will bring electricity to homes in Tribal communities that have never had it; it will have a fundamental and significant impact on businesses, communities and families. This is one of the many historic investments we are making to fund long-overdue infrastructure needs in Indigenous communities.”
Recognizing the diversity of energy and electrification requirements across Tribal Nations, the Tribal Electrification Program will be customized to meet each community’s specific needs through collaborative and community-led planning and implementation. Key components of the program include financial and technical support for Tribes to connect homes to transmission and distribution networks powered by renewable energy sources. It will also provide electricity to previously unelectrified Tribal homes via zero-emissions energy systems, transitioning electrified Tribal homes to similar systems, and supporting necessary home repairs and retrofitting to accommodate zero-emissions energy systems.
The Tribal Electrification Program not only aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative but also extends its commitment to fostering clean energy workforce development opportunities within Indian Country.
