"In my 20-plus years of dealing with economic development on tribal lands, I have found that few people are familiar with federal Indian law or tribal law, governments and dispute resolution systems, which reflect each tribe's sovereign status and unique culture, language, laws, mores and traditions. And it is from this lack of familiarity that problems arise.

Much of the southwestern and mountain states land held in trust for Native American tribes offers substantial opportunities to developers of wind power, solar energy and other renewable energy resources.

The federal government’s support for renewable energy sources dovetails with programs and statutes meant to encourage tribal renewable energy development, such as the grants and technical assistance offered by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act (Title V of the Energy Policy Act of 2005). In fact, on February 16, 2012, the DOE awarded more than $6.5 million in funding to 19 clean energy projects planned for development on tribal land."

Get the Story:
Nancy J. Appleby: Tribal Renewable Energy Projects: Balance Opportunity with Caution (Renewable Energy World 2/20)

Another Opinion:
Michael Tennant: Indian Tribes Hop Aboard Obama’s “Clean Energy” Gravy Train (The New American 2/21)