Tribal Affairs

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 paved the way for competition in the electric power industry. Tribes across the country now have an opportunity to redefine their traditional roles in receiving electric service and are considering forming utilities in response to wholesale deregulation of the electric industry. While challenges exist, there can be significant benefits for tribes in utility formation including providing and encouraging tribal employment, supporting conservation and resource development, and improving utility infrastructure and service.

Owning and operating utilities allows tribes to work in their best interest and that of tribal members. A tribal utility can work for the sustainable development of the tribe through policies set and accepted by tribal members. Access to cost-based power from federal power marketing administrations in most cases will lower tribal members' utility bills.

BPA requires that six Standards for Service be met before an entity can become a utility customer.

The purchaser must:

• Be legally formed in accordance with local, state, federal or tribal laws
  
• Own a distribution system and be ready, willing and able to take power from BPA within a reasonable period of time
  
• Have a general utility responsibility within the service area
  
• Have the financial ability to pay BPA for the federal power it purchases
  
• Have adequate utility operations and structure; and
  
• Be able to purchase power in wholesale amounts

See detailed discussion of these standards. 

For more information regarding tribal utility formation, contact the Power Service Line Account Executives: Contact Tribal Affairs at 503-230-7685 for information.

BPA has a long-standing commitment to provide funding for weatherization services to low-income households. In 1999, BPA specifically set aside funding to be targeted towards Native American homes to improve the installation of weatherization measures in both Indian Country and throughout the service territory of its public utility customers.

Since 1999, BPA has met with several tribes who were interested in participating in the Tribal Set-Aside Low-Income Weatherization Program. As a result of these meetings, several improvements to the program were determined to be necessary to ensure the success of the program. Of particular note was the need for BPA to continue to work closely with tribal governments, local community action agencies, states and sometimes the servicing utility to eliminate any obstacles to the equal access to federal programs by the region's Native American population.

• Direct Tribal involvement: BPA provides direct funding to tribal governments to implement outreach and coordination with tribal members.
  
• Funding: Additional funding for installation of measures may be provided if the tribe has a qualified program that can implement auditing, installation and inspection services.
  
• Commitment: Tribal government commitment to program participation is essential.
• Simplicity: Funding grants are simple and developed to meet the specific needs of the tribe.
• Coordination with local community action agencies: Local community action agencies may need to modify their intake and implementation procedures for outreach to this targeted population. (The agencies BPA has interacted with so far have been very agreeable to making changes in their processes to ensure success.)
• Partnering with tribal governments in training: BPA is currently partnering with tribal governments and state programs to build the human capacity of their staff to implement their own weatherization programs. View weatherization training photos.  

There are several Tribal Set-Aside program success stories. BPA is dedicated to adding to those successes. We encourage tribes who are served by utilities who buy their power from BPA to let us know their interest in this program. 

For more information, contact Corrina Ikakoula, BPA Associate Tribal Account Executive at 503-230-3719.  

On May 2, 2008, BPA signed with other federal agencies, states and Tribes the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.

The memorandum(s) of agreement between the sovereigns are designed to supplement biological opinions for listed salmon and steelhead and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's fish and wildlife program. They provide firm commitments to hydro, habitat and hatchery actions; greater clarity about biological benefits and secure funding for 10 years.

Under these agreements, the federal agencies and Tribes will work together as partners "on the ground" to provide tangible survival benefits for salmon recovery - by upgrading passage over federal dams, by restoring river and estuary habitat, and by creative use of hatcheries.

Tribal Affairs actively works with other BPA business units that the agency is fully complying with its commitments in the Fish Accords.

Useful links:

• Salmonrecovery.gov
  
• Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
  
• Northwest Power and Conservation Council Fish and Wildlife
  

• Columbia River Treaty
• Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs | Department of Energy
• SalmonRecovery.gov