Partnerships are essential to the successful development and deployment of tribal energy projects and are a key strategic focus of the DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs. How energy and environmental laws and regulations can and do impact tribal energy partnerships and development activities is the focus of this month’s tribal energy webinar, “Federal and State Policy: Advancing Strategic Energy Partnerships.”

Part of the 2017 Expanding Tribal Energy Development Through Partnerships webinar series sponsored by the Office of Indian Energy and the Western Area Power Administration, this free webinar will be held March 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mountain Time.

Attendees will learn about which federal requirements could impact energy projects on tribal lands as well as circumstances where state regulations could apply.

The Office of Indian Energy’s Senior Policy Advisor, Doug MacCourt, will kick off the webinar with an overview of the tribal energy regulatory environment.

Elizabeth Doris, Principal Laboratory Program Manager of the State, Local, and Tribal Program at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, will follow with a deeper dive into actionable resources, tools, and proven approaches to navigating the complex energy policy landscape, including renewable portfolio standards, tax credits, net metering aggregation, and more.

Case studies from the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon and Picuris Pueblo in New Mexico will provide context and insights from these tribes’ renewable energy projects.

Jim Manion of Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprises will highlight the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs’ hydropower project as an example of how federal and state laws impact tribes in hydropower relicensing projects both on and off reservation. Manion will also discuss laws and processes the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs of Oregon have in place for on-Reservation exploration and development of energy projects.

Jon Paul Romero of the Northern Pueblos Housing Authority will highlight the Picuris Pueblo’s partnership with Northern Pueblos Housing Authority and Kit Carson Electric Cooperative for a 1-megawatt solar project. A single- axis, ground-mounted solar array sited on six acres of tribal trust land, the Picuris Pueblo Community Solar Array Project is projected to produce 2.6 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually—enough to offset the cost of the Pueblo’s entire energy load consisting of 50 homes and 12 tribal buildings. 

“Partnerships are the heart of Indian Energy’s Policy and Innovation initiatives,” said MacCourt.  “In many cases these partnerships, varying in scope and structure, are key to making energy projects technically and economically viable for tribes."

This webinar is structured to foster an understanding of the complex interplay between energy and environmental policy and partnerships among business, government, and tribal leaders who see the value of a clean energy future.

There is no cost to attend the webinar, but advance registration is required. Register for the webinar.