Billy Nicholson serves as secretary of the Colville Business Council. Photo from Colville Tribes
The Colville Tribes of Washington are pushing for passage of a bill that streamlines energy development in Indian Country. The Senate passed S.209, the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments, by unanimous consent on December 10. The measure authorizes a biomass demonstration project on the reservation and extends the tribe's forest management practices, Secretary Billy Nicholson said. "Hopefully, the bill will become law in the coming months," Nicholson wrote in The Tribal Tribune, the tribe's newspaper. The provisions are included in Section 202, the Tribal Biomass Demonstration Project. Tribes can enter into agreements with the federal government that incorporate their forest management plans. The bill awaits consideration in the House.
Join the Conversation
Related Stories
Colville Tribes announce closure of plywood mill
in early 2016 (12/15) Senate approves bill to streamline Indian energy development (12/11)
Lummi Nation and Crow Tribe at odds over provision in energy bill (12/04)
Revenue from Indian energy production dropped 22 percent in 2015 (12/04)
Sen. John Barrasso: Getting Washington out of Indian Country (11/20)
Raul Grijalva: Republicans keep embracing dirty coal industry (11/18)
Dennis Patch: Tribal sacred sites ignored in push for solar energy (10/27)
Tribes urge Obama administration to take a stand on taxation (10/21)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee holds hearing on Indian energy (10/19)
Navajo Nation hails movement on controversial Indian energy bill (10/12)
Republicans push controversial Indian energy bill through House (10/9)
White House blasts Native American Energy Act ahead of vote (10/08)
Controversy stirs as House takes up Native American Energy Act (10/6)
Ute Tribe and states win injunction against new BLM fracking rule (10/1)
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs schedules hearing on energy (9/30)
Jeb Bush wants tribes and states to control energy development (9/30)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe won't give up on wind energy despite delays (07/03)
Jay Daniels: Energy mismanagement at BIA isn't anything new (06/23)
GAO report questions BIA's management of Indian energy duties (06/15)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee approves four bills at meeting (02/04)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee business meeting and hearing (02/02)
