The Sioux and their Pursuits for Clean Energy
Written by: Josh Fullerton
With
the goal of bringing clean energy, new investors and new jobs to the American
midwest six Sioux tribes have joined together to form the Oceti Sakowin Power Project. A new project launched in 2011 with
the goal of creating up to two gigawatts (2,000,000,000 volts) of renewable
energy to the surrounding areas. The first phase alone cost over 800 million,
this is a multi-billion dollar project requiring substantial investment from
both native tribes, and non-native businesses with a heart for environmental
protection and planning for the future of our planet.
The six tribes: The Cheyanne River, Flandreau Santee,
Oglala, Rosebud, Standing Rock and Yankton are all members of the Sioux nation.
These six tribes are the Sioux’s representation and presence in South Dakota.
With plenty of open land, but limited reservation space, the tribe looked
outside their reservation land with the support of the Bush Organization and
the Northwest Area Foundation which together granted the nation their first
$500,000. With help from more non-profits like the Rockefeller Philanthropy
Advisors, the tribe’s project was well underway.
In 2014 then President Barack Obama visited the Standing
Rock reservation and fully supported the tribe’s efforts in their new project.
This lead to an investigation by The US Government’s Accountability Office
which found “that poor management by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has
hindered energy development on tribal lands” (Energynews.us, 2018) The poor
management by the BIA has increased project costs in the past, puting projects
in jeopardy.
The Rosebud tribe knows the struggle with the BIA on the
issues with clean energy very well. In 2008 they attempted to jumpstart a clean
wind energy project on their own. It took almost a full two years for the BIA
to even respond, in which time the tribe lost two key local power purchasing
agreements which ultimately doomed the project. As of 2020 the project has yet
to get off the ground.
Other research into different nations, like the Navajo
nation which is considered to have set the standard for clean energy has shown
a general lack of resources when it comes to both the technical skills required
to get the projects built and the legal capacity needed to get the project off
the ground. Tribes are at the mercy of the BIA and non-profits who are willing
to fund them in order to provide clean energy for a cleaner future.
By combining the votes, resources and money of not one
tribe, but six tribes in the Sioux nation, funding partners believe this
project has what it takes. This project when finished will be the largest wind
farm owned privately by a native population. It’s a full ten times the size of
the previous record held by the Navajo. If this project is successful it will
change how business is done in the clean energy world.
The best part about this project is it’s owned by the Sioux
nation. With the help of outside funding the Sioux have built a project that
will continue to provide substantial income for their offspring and the future
of their tribe. The main concern when it comes to clean energy on native land
is that it’s the US Government who is placing a solar or wind farm on land that
isn’t reservation land, but still sacred to a tribe or nation. This is the
tribe’s land, the tribe’s money, the tribe’s profit and the tribe’s say.
Not only has the project brought many investors to an area
not exactly known for its large business opportunity, but it’s created numerous
jobs with the benefit of being relevant in the real world. Clean energy is a booming
market. This project has given workers the opportunity to take their knowledge
on clean energy to more projects, both local and nationwide, and continue to
provide for their families.
The concern moving forward is any project attempted by
tribes on tribal land with tribal money is the process of going through the
BIA. With substantial push provided by six tribes banded together and outside
groups ready to fund the Oceti Sakowin Power Project still took from 2011 to
2015 to get approved to get off the ground. This project could have finished by
2018 with the proper management of resources. Even in the 21st century tribes
are still not in control of their own lives. Of their own destinies. By keeping
tribes under the thumb of the BIA we are preventing the tribes from ever being
self sustaining communities.
Americans historically grow their wealth by
taking money they have made, investing it and turning it into larger and larger
profit. This is what traps people inside the cycle of poverty. Without anything
to invest and grow those who are impoverished will continue to live a life in
poverty. We should take the power away from the BIA when it comes to the
financial security of all tribes involved. By granting tribes the ability to
grow and invest their money anyway they please we could hopefully see a much
stronger and more stable native American population in the future.Sources
http://ospower.org
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/new-frontier-wind-energy-native-american-land-cultivated-six-sioux-tribes
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