Tribal lands are rich in wind, solar and other energy resources and, if utilized responsibly, have the potential to fulfill the U.S.' domestic energy needs while providing jobs and revenue for impoverished communities, according to a report issued by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).
The huge potential on tribal lands to generate clean energy from renewable resources presents tribes with the opportunity to be a significant part of the solution through climate policy that creates green jobs and protects natural resources, according to ‘The New Energy Future in Indian Country: Confronting Climate Change, Creating Jobs, and Conserving Nature.’
The report provides an overview of the possibilities for renewable energy in Indian country and details case studies of wind, solar, geothermal and biomass production, as well as energy efficiency/weatherization. The report was released by the NWF in collaboration with the National Tribal Environmental Council, the Native American Rights Fund and the Intertribal Council On Utility Policy.
‘With 95 million acres of land under their management and centuries of experience conserving the natural world, Indian tribes can play a significant role in protecting natural resources from climate change and coping with a warmer world,’ says Steve Torbit, director of NWF's Rocky Mountain Regional Center and Tribal Lands Conservation Program. ‘With our partners, we developed this report to showcase the tremendous opportunities tribes have to implement renewable energy, energy efficiency and participate in the green economy, while protecting their natural resource heritage.’
The report details the vast opportunities for renewable energy production and case studies where clean energy is already flowing in Indian country, and also provides maps of energy potential in wind, solar, geothermal and biomass.
SOURCE: National Wildlife Federation
