Intertribal Life Newspaper -

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland announced in February that the Tribal Energy Development Capacity Grant Program awarded more than $2.5 million to federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native entities to develop Tribal energy resources.

"These grants will assist Tribes in building capacity to manage energy development in their communities. As we look to a sustainable future, it is important that Tribes can regulate and benefit from energy development in their communities," said Newland. 

The Tribal Energy Development Capacity Grant Program is a competitive, discretionary grant program that seeks to develop the Tribal management, organizational, and technical capacity Tribes need to maximize the economic impact of energy resource development on Indian land. Each year, the program awards funding that provides Tribes with necessary resources to develop or enhance Tribal policies, codes, regulations, or ordinances related to energy resources, including land-lease regulations for energy development purposes in accordance with the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act, also known as the HEARTH Act.

Grant applications were evaluated by two independent review panels to ensure the most qualified projects were selected to receive funding.