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Eastern Shoshone Tribe inaugurates new water treatment plant on the Wind River Reservation Ft. Washakie , WY -- The inauguration of a new water treatment plant was a wonderful occasion for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe on the Wind River Reservation. Culminating a ten-year planning and community development process, the ceremonial blessing of the facility was held in Ft. Washakie on July 23, 2008. A combination of substantial tribal equity, Bureau of Indian Affairs support and financing from Native American Bank, brought this facility in on time and on budget.

Click here for complete article: http://www.nabna.com/cs/2008-07-23_EstrnShoshoneWaterTreatment.shtml

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Division of Indian Energy Policy Development

Indian Education Renewable Energy Challenge

IEED in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and Argonne National Laboratory sponsored The Indian Education Renewable Energy Challenge  - a contest for students attending high schools funded by the BIE and tribal colleges. In the contest students created small wind turbine systems that harnessed wind energy, stored it mechanically or electrically and then used the stored energy to power an array of LEDs. The Indian Education Renewable Energy Challenge is an opportunity for students and teachers to learn about green and renewable energy technology that tribes can use to promote economic self-sufficiency and energy independence while providing futures for youth. The contest ran through the fall and winter of 2009, culminating with an awards presentation in DC in April 2009 at the Department of the Interior. In 2010 at the college level, the first place award was shared by the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute from Albuquerque, New Mexico and College of Menominee Nation from Keshena, Wisconsin.  At the high school level the first place winner is the Oneida Nation High School from Oneida, Wisconsin. The winning teams were flown to Washington, DC for a reception with the Assistant Secretary and awards ceremony on April 8, 2010.

 The fall 2010 contest is now open and you can find additional information at  http://www.dep.anl.gov/indianed_energychallenge/ By visiting this site you will be leaving the Indian Affairs website. Indian Affairs does not monitor and is not responsible for content of external sites.

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Tribal Energy Transmission System Planning Workshop

The Department of the Interior’s Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development along with the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Office of Trust Services recently held a series of Tribal Energy Transmission System Planning Workshops. The two-day workshops provided information and guidance on planning and developing corridors for energy transmission system projects on tribal lands, including both electricity transmission and pipeline projects. The workshops gave an overview of the multiple steps involved in transmission projects, guidance on how to address environmental and siting issues, and information about resources available to tribes to assist in developing designated corridors for such projects. Presenters included: the Western Area Power Administration, Argonne National Laboratory, Department of Energy Tribal Energy Program and Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  The workshops were designed to assist tribal leaders, staff of tribal resource management departments, and federal employees that work with tribes. Workshops were held in Albuquerque, NM, Phoenix, AZ, Portland, OR, and Bismarck, ND. There were a total of 37 tribes represented in attendance at the four workshops. Federal participants included: the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and the Bonneville Power Administration.   Click here to view the Energy Transport Corridor Siting Guidance Manual  (.pdf)

Summer Energy Resource Development Tribal Internship Program

IEED in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory sponsors a 10-week summer internship program for American Indian and Native Alaska college students interested in science or engineering fields.  Student research opportunities focus on energy resource development, both renewable and non-renewable, and environmental evaluation and analysis of potential impacts from energy resource development activities. In the second year of this program nine students from Quapaw, Navajo, Shoshone Bannock, Seneca Nation, Confederated Salish and Kootenai, Eastern Shoshone and Cherokee worked in residence at on the ANL campus on projects that ranged from sonic anemometer calibrations to the conversion of biomass to biodiesel.
In addition to working with the science staff at ANL they also participated in a seminar on the Federal government relationship with tribes and issues affecting energy development activities in Indian Country.  This program offers an opportunity for American Indian students interested in science and engineering, where they are traditionally underrepresented, to develop energy and natural resource development expertise. The 2010 program culminated with student presentations to ANL staff on these projects.