READI

About READI

Energy and minerals are important resources for Tribes and Alaska Native Villages working toward self-determination, sovereignty, and economic development. Tribes across Indian Country rely on oil & gas and solid minerals (including fuel and non-fuel, critical minerals, and rare earth minerals) as established in the Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982 as economic generators. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides for an all-of-the above approach to Tribal energy development. In 2023 public resources for Tribes to develop renewables was at record high levels while one of the few, recurring resources to support Tribal efforts to develop conventional energy and solid minerals was the BIA’s Division of Energy and Mineral Development (DEMD) technical assistance STEM group and the TEDC and EMDP programs.

Rather than add to the large collection of renewable energy funding available to Tribes from multiple Federal agencies and other sources, the DEMD sought input from Tribes on how to make renewable energy development more streamlined and effective. In coordination with the BIA’s Indian Energy Service Center (IESC), we launched the Renewable Energy Accelerated Deployment Initiative (READI), asking Tribes and Alaska Native Villages to input on the following discussion prompts:

• What is your tribal vision for renewable energy development?
• What obstacles or challenges hinder your tribal nations’ renewable energy development?
• What additional resources are needed to implement your tribal nation’s vision for renewable energy development?
• What additional resources are needed to sustain your tribal nation’s vision for renewable energy development?
• How can the BIA best support tribes’ renewable energy development visions and plans? 

Much of the input received offers useful conclusions that may be applied to all phases of energy and mineral development, including oil & gas, solid minerals, critical minerals, rare earth minerals, geothermal, distributed generation, and other integrated energy technologies. The DEMD’s technical assistance, grant programs, and engagement assistance with Tribes, along with coordination and expertise in the extraction industry and energy industry disciplines will continue to support Tribes and Native Villages in their efforts toward self-determination, sovereignty, and economic development through developing energy and mineral resources and related capacity.

Please contact the DEMD for more information.

Albert Bond, DEMD Division Chief 
Albert.Bond@BIA.gov

demd@bia.gov