Tribal Energy Self-Sufficiency Act

Bill: 108-s-424
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2003-02-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska
Alternative energy sources
Civil engineering
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Dams
Department of Energy
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric power
Electric power distribution
Electric power production
Electric power transmission
Electric utilities
Electric utility rates
Energy
Energy assistance for the poor
Energy development
Energy efficiency
Energy facilities
Energy research
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to education
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Hydroelectric power
Indian economic development
Indian education
Indian lands
Infrastructure
Law
Leases
Mineral reserves
Minorities
Missouri River development
Oklahoma
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Renewable natural resources
Right-of-way
Rural economic development
Water Resources Development
Water power
West (U.S.)
Wind power

Summary:
action_date: 2003-02-14
text: Tribal Energy Self-Sufficiency Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to require the Director of the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs of the Department of Energy to establish programs within the Office to assist Indian tribes in meeting energy education, research and development, planning, and management needs. Authorizes the Director to provide grants and loan guarantees to Indian tribes for such programs.
Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to establish an Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs within the Department of Energy.
Authorizes Indian tribes to: (1) grant leases of tribal lands for electrical generation, transmission, or distribution facilities and facilities to refine or otherwise process energy resources developed on tribal lands; and (2) grant rights-of-way over tribal lands, without separate approval by the Secretary of the Interior, for pipelines and electrical transmission or distribution lines.
Requires Indian tribes to establish environmental review processes that identify and evaluate the significant environmental impacts of proposed Indian Energy Policy and Programs.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to review the activities that have been carried out by the government of Indian tribes under the Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982 and to recommend to specified committees ways to ensure that Indian tribes have the opportunity to develop nonrenewable energy resources and the barriers they face to do so.
Requires the Administrators of the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, and other pertinent power administrations to take specified actions to encourage Indian tribal energy developments.
Requires the Secretary of Energy to study and report to Congress on the cost and feasibility of developing a demonstration project that would use wind energy generated by Indian tribes and hydropower generated by the Army Corps of Engineers on the Missouri River to supply firming power to the Western Area Power Administration.
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to revise and extend renewable energy production incentives.
Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to provide grants to units of local government, private, nonprofit community development organizations, and tribal economic development entities for use in improving energy efficiency, identifying and developing alternative renewable and distributed energy supplies, and increasing energy conservation in low-income rural and urban communities.
Amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide rural and remote communities electrification grants to State, local, or tribal governments, or tribal colleges or universities to increase energy efficiency, siting or upgrading transmission and distribution lines, or for providing or modernizing electric facilities.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-19
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 108-61.
action_date: 2003-02-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2540-2544)
action_date: 2003-02-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2540)
action_date: 2003-02-14
text: Introduced in Senate