While Indigenous nations across the United States have vast energy resources, it can be hard for them to develop that potential. Tribal representatives spoke to the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs on Thursday about the challenges they face in developing energy resources. Sub-committee chairwoman U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, said 30 percent of coal reserves west of the Mississippi River are on tribal lands.
“These untapped resources can be a key revenue source for tribes, particularly in rural areas, and can increase the United States’ supply of energy,” she said. While several tribes have sought to develop their energy resources, Hageman said development of energy projects on tribal lands requires “jumping through more hoops, more bureaucracy, and involves more agencies than on any other type of lands. We need to change that.”
This is an area where Hageman and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-New Mexico, expressed a common sentiment.