Federal solar energy initiatives among Wyoming's tribal communities face varying outcomes following the Trump Administration's withdrawal of funding.
The Eastern Shoshone tribe is moving forward with a solar-powered microgrid project, while their neighbours, the Northern Arapaho, are left functionally stalled due to a decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior to withdraw about $10 million in federal grants intended to help the Northern Arapaho reduce their electricity bills.
The Northern Arapaho tribe had expected to receive this funding from agreements with The Northern Plains Tribal Solar for All Coalition and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. However, the loss of the Solar for All funding has left their project in limbo.
Steve Babbits, an environmental scientist with the Northern Arapaho's Natural Resource Office, stated that the loss of this funding is a significant loss for everyone. Patrick Goggles, a leader in the Northern Arapaho's solar project, estimated that installing a solar system capable of offsetting 80% of his monthly electric demand would save him $150 to $200 per month.
The energy savings for tribal members who get electricity from the Eastern Shoshone's solar-powered microgrid could help them find financial stability. The Eastern Shoshone have secured a little over $7 million for their project, and are also seeking support elsewhere to purchase a natural gas generator for their solar-powered microgrid.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Shoshone tribe is officially moving forward with their project. Dean Goggles and Babbits had planned to begin hiring more people to help administer the program, but now they can't, and they noted that local contractors and builders had lost an opportunity to bring in new business.
Patrick Goggles, who had been working without pay, expecting to be reimbursed through the grant, now finds a year's worth of his time and labor going uncompensated. The Northern Arapaho, on the other hand, are turning their attention to building a planning document that can help expedite any future solar power pursuits, and they will scour the private sector for any funding that could keep their current plans afloat.
In a related development, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving to cancel $7 billion in funding for low-income households to install rooftop solar panels, which could have a significant economic impact on energy cost savings for many communities.
Despite these setbacks, Patrick Goggles believes that rooftop solar's ability to lower energy costs will allow it to endure beyond the Trump administration, and his tribe remains interested in using solar to develop energy sovereignty.
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