> **Media may contact:**
>
> John Horst, DOE, 303-275-4709

**Energy Department Awards Enable Tribes**

**To Assess Renewable Energy Resources**

Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced today that the Department
of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is
making \$900,000 available to seven Native American tribes to assess the
potential for developing renewable energy resources on tribal lands.

The tribes will study a wide variety of renewable energy technologies.
Along with the more mature solar, wind and biomass technologies, the
Quinault Indian Nation will study wave energy as a possible source of
electric power. Members of the Flathead Nation will investigate using
pumped water storage to provide on-demand electricity generation.

"Renewable energy offers unique opportunities for Native American tribes
to provide reliable, affordable electricity for their members while
encouraging economic development and creating jobs," Secretary Abraham
said. "Adequate energy supplies are critical to tribal self-sufficiency
while helping our nation enhance its energy security."

The funded projects were competitively selected in fiscal year 2003
along with seven other tribal renewable energy projects, but DOE only
had sufficient funds last year to make awards to seven tribes. Those
awards were announced in August 2003. See the Tribal Energy website at
[www.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy](http://www.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy)
for information on those projects and other tribes across Indian Country
who are exploring renewable energy options to gain energy sufficiency.

Projects receiving fiscal year 2004 funding include:

1.  **Kenaitze Indian Tribe, IRA (Kenai, Alaska) --** The Kenaitze Tribe
    will study solar and wind energy resources for powering tribal
    operations, future tribal housing, and possible sale to local energy
    providers.

2.  **Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation (New
    Town, N. D.) --** The Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and
    Arikara Nation) of the Fort Berthold Reservation will study the
    feasibility of using wind energy to power the tribes' proposed Clean
    Fuels Refinery, provide power for the reservation and create jobs.

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1.  **Ak-Chin Indian Community (Maricopa, Ariz.) --** The Ak-Chin will
    study the economic sustainability of a facility that would turn
    poultry manure and other biomass materials into electricity and
    other products for use on the reservation or for sale outside the
    reservation.

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1.  **Quinault Indian Nation (Taholah, Wash.) --** The Quinault Nation
    will assess their wind, biomass, solar and wave energy resources to
    determine their development potential.

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5.  **S & K Holding Company, Inc. (Flathead Reservation, Ronan, Mont.)
    --** The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
    Nation will study the feasibility of a commercial wind energy
    facility, as well as the potential for solar and biomass power
    development. Included in the study will be a look at using pumped
    water storage to increase the value of these intermittent resources.

6.  **Yavapai-Apache Nation (Camp Verde, Ariz.) --** The Yavapai-Apache
    are blessed with abundant forest resources and will study the
    economic feasibility of using forest thinnings and other biomass
    materials to produce electricity for the reservation, or for export.
    The tribe will also examine whether such a project would be
    consistent with their cultural and social values.

7.  **Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians (Santa Ysabel, Calif.)** --
    The Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians are faced with inadequate
    electricity resources and rising energy prices that force many
    tribal members living in reservation housing to use wood-burning
    stoves, kerosene space heaters and gasoline-powered generators to
    meet their energy needs. The tribe will study the feasibility of
    meeting some of those needs with photovoltaics (solar electric),
    solar hot water and hydronic space heating.

  ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------- ------------
  **Technology**   **Applicant      **Project        **Proposed    **Cost
                   Name**           Title**          DOE Funds     Share**
                                                     \***          

  Solar/Wind       Kenaitze Indian  Renewable Energy \$40,354      \$3,824
                   Tribe, IRA       Resources                      
                                    Feasibility                    
                                    Study                          

  Wind             Three Affiliated Three Affiliated \$221,952     \$47,250
                   Tribes of the    Tribes Renewable               
                   Fort Berthoud    Energy                         
                   Reservation      Feasibility                    
                                    Study                          

  Biomass          Ak-Chin Indian   Ak-Chin Biomass  \$97,036      \$0
                   Community        Feasibility                    
                                    Study                          

  Wind, Biomass,   Quinault Indian  Quinault Indian  \$150,000     \$82,805
  Solar, Wave      Nation           Nation Renewable               
                                    Energy                         
                                    Feasibility                    
                                    Study                          

  Wind             S & K Holding    Flathead         \$202,788     \$47,250
                   Company, Inc.    Renewable Energy               
                   (Flathead        Feasibility                    
                   Reservation)     Study                          

  Biomass          Yavapai-Apache   Yavapai-Apache   \$126,897     \$0
                   Nation           Forest Biomass                 
                                    Feasibility                    
                                    Study                          

  Solar, Solar Hot Mesa Grande Band Renewable Energy \$50,000      \$0
  Water, Hydronics of Mission       Feasibility                    
                   Indians          Study for Mesa                 
                                    Grande                         
                                    Reservation                    

  Total                                              \$889,027     \$181,129
  ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------- ------------

> \* Subject to negotiation.