Tribal Affairs

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 paved the way for competition in the electric power industry. Tribes across the country now have an opportunity to redefine their traditional roles in receiving electric service and are considering forming utilities in response to wholesale deregulation of the electric industry. While challenges exist, there can be significant benefits for tribes in utility formation including providing and encouraging tribal employment, supporting conservation and resource development, and improving utility infrastructure and service.

BPA requires that six Standards for Service be met before an entity can become a utility customer.

The purchaser must:

• Be legally formed in accordance with local, state, federal or tribal laws
  
• Own a distribution system and be ready, willing and able to take power from BPA within a reasonable period of time
  
• Have a general utility responsibility within the service area
  
• Have the financial ability to pay BPA for the federal power it purchases
  
• Have adequate utility operations and structure; and
  
• Be able to purchase power in wholesale amounts

See detailed discussion of these standards. 

For more information regarding tribal utility formation, contact the Power Service Line Account Executives: Contact Tribal Affairs at 503-230-7685 for information.

BPA has a long-standing commitment to provide funding for efficiency services to qualifying low-income households. Since 1999, BPA started providing funding for efficiency upgrades in Native American homes and low-income households throughout the service territory of its public utility customers. Click here to access the Low-Income Energy Efficiency Grant Application.

BPA works closely with federally recognized tribal governments, local community action agencies, states, and servicing utilities to implement this program. 

• The application and implementation process through these non-competitive grants can be streamlined and modified to meet the needs of the tribe.
• BPA staff can meet with tribes to support them through their application process.
• Commitment and direct involvement by tribal entities is essential to coordinate with qualifying residents.
• Tribes can work with local community action agencies or nonprofits.
• Funding is also available for staff and contractor training, and health and safety repairs.

There are several success stories of tribes who have benefitted from this funding. BPA is dedicated to adding to those successes. We encourage tribes who are served by utilities who buy their power from BPA to let us know their interest in this program. 

Visit the Low Income Energy Efficiency Tribal Resources page for more information.  

On May 2, 2008, BPA signed with other federal agencies, states and Tribes the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.

The memorandum(s) of agreement between the sovereigns are designed to supplement biological opinions for listed salmon and steelhead and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's fish and wildlife program. They provide firm commitments to hydro, habitat and hatchery actions; greater clarity about biological benefits and secure funding for 10 years.

Under these agreements, the federal agencies and Tribes will work together as partners "on the ground" to provide tangible survival benefits for salmon recovery - by upgrading passage over federal dams, by restoring river and estuary habitat, and by creative use of hatcheries.

Tribal Affairs actively works with other BPA business units that the agency is fully complying with its commitments in the Fish Accords.

Useful links:

• Salmonrecovery.gov
  
• Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
  
• Northwest Power and Conservation Council Fish and Wildlife
  

• Columbia River Treaty
• Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs | Department of Energy
• SalmonRecovery.gov