Northwest tribes among those getting federal energy grants

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz — More than a dozen tribal communities around the U.S., including three in the Pacific Northwest, will share $9 million in federal grant funding for renewable energy projects, the U.S. Department of Energy announced Monday.

Nearly $1.2 million will support a solar and battery storage project in the Navajo Nation community of Kayenta in northeastern Arizona. Tribal officials said the project will provide electricity to 24 homes on the vast reservation where an estimated one-third of all residents are not connected to the power grid.

The 14 projects among tribes based in Arizona, Idaho, California, Alaska, Washington, New Mexico and Minnesota are expected to produce 3.3 megawatts of renewable energy and 3.6 megawatt-hours of battery storage. The amount of energy isn’t huge, but will chip away at the need across Indian Country.

“Clean energy is an enormous opportunity for tribal communities because it creates great jobs, local jobs, makes people healthier and safer,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told reporters. “It helps, obviously, keep the lights on and the heat on for so many Native families that don’t have reliable access to power.”

Pacific Northwest grant recipients include:

• The Lummi Nation in Bellingham will install solar PV on a new 50,000 square foot facility health and dental facility, saving money and providing training for seven tribal members. (Award Amount: $158,019)
• The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of Auburn will install solar PV on three tribal buildings and providing training for tribal members. (Award Amount: $248,448)
• The Coeur d’Alene Tribe in Idaho, which will install solar panels on a new youth recreation center with its $68,000 grant.

Tribes also will chip in on those projects because the federal funding won’t cover the entire cost of them.