Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), ranking member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has reintroduced a bipartisan bill intended to spur development of energy resources on Indian lands, where only a quarter of the oil and less than a fifth of the natural gas resources have been developed, according to the Department of the Interior.

Bingaman believes assistance in the form of grants and loans and less governmental red tape would better enable tribes to develop their own energy resources to the benefit of the tribes and the rest of the nation.

“Energy production on tribal lands holds great promise. It is my belief that we can help meet our future energy needs by tapping into those resources. At the same time, such a move would provide new economic development opportunities in Indian country, where jobs are scarce,” Bingaman said.

He first introduced Indian energy legislation in December 2001. It was adopted last year as part of his comprehensive energy plan. However, that larger bill bogged down in a House-Senate conference and never became law. He reintroduced the bill this year because he expects the Senate to take up energy legislation in the coming months.

Bingaman’s legislation would establish a “Comprehensive Indian Energy Program” at the U.S. Department of Energy to assist tribes in developing their energy resources with grants and loans. The legislation would also cut red tape imposed by the federal government on Indian tribes that seek to lease land and rights-of-way for energy production and transmission. And it would provide incentives for the development of renewable energy on Indian lands.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates there are almost 90 Indian reservations with energy resource potential, including oil and gas, coal and coalbed methane, wind and geothermal. At the same time, 14.2% of all Native American homes on reservations have no access to electricity, compared to just 1.4% of all U.S. households. The problem is even more acute on the Navajo Reservation, where 37% of homes don’t have electricity. In addition, Indian households spend 4% of their income on electricity — twice the average for all U.S. households; this in spite of higher rates of unemployment and poverty.

Sens. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) and Daniel Inouye (D-HI) are co-sponsors of Bingaman’s measure. The two senators lead the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

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