US launches program to provide electricity to more Native American homes

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. government will be putting more money toward getting electricity to Native American communities. The Interior Department announced the tribal electrification program on Tuesday, saying it will be funded by an initial $72.5 million as the Biden administration looks to funnel more money toward climate and renewable energy projects. Tribes will have to apply for the funding and federal officials will choose projects based on need, readiness, risks of climate change impacts and other factors. In 2022, the federal government issued a report citing that nearly 17,000 tribal homes were without electricity, with most being in the Southwest and in Alaska.