Senate Committee on Indian Affairs touts $720 million for Native communities in Inflation Reduction Act

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White House: President Biden Delivers Remarks and Signs Into Law H.R. 5376, The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 [Note: Event starts around 36:48 into the feed.]

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs touts $720 million for Native communities in Inflation Reduction Act

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Indianz.Com

The newly-signed Inflation Reduction Act will bring more than $720 million to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, according to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on Tuesday afternoon. A number of provisions address climate resiliency and energy development initiatives in Native communities.

“More than $720 million in federal funding is heading to Native communities to support Native-led climate solutions and advance tribal energy development,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), the chair of the committee.

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs – Inflation Reduction Act [PDF]

sciainflationreductionact

The committee released a resource guide outlining the Native-specific investments in the new law. The direct funding includes:

$235 million for Tribal climate resilience, including fish hatchery operations and maintenance
$225 million for development of Tribal high-efficiency electric home rebate programs
$150 million for Tribal home electrification
$75 million for the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program and $20 billion in allowable loan guarantees
$25 million for Native Hawaiian climate resilience
$12.5 million for Tribal emergency drought relief

“Our resource guide will help tribes and Native communities navigate the Inflation Reduction Act’s direct investment in climate adaptation and clean energy – the largest ever in U.S. history,” Schatz said in a news release.

Additionally, the law expands loan and loan guarantee programs for tribes and ensures that tribes are eligible to apply for competitive grants throughout the federal government. The resource guide described the opportunities as worth “billions” of dollars.

The Inflation Reduction Act was enacted as H.R.5376. The bill passed the U.S. Senate on August 7. It cleared the U.S. House of Representatives on August 12.