Policy and Advocacy

TEA’s impact across Tribal communities is driven by the Tribal Nations we partner with, install with, grant to, and engage in both legislative and regulatory efforts focused on Tribal energy development, economic vitality and sovereignty. We recognize that policy solutions are one part of the larger ecosystem that creates an energy-secure future for our communities. The following are the key policy initiatives that Tribal Energy Alternatives will advocate for in the coming years to build, one block at a time, a more resilient energy future for our communities: These are the three Tribal policy priorities for 2025:

• Support energy choice of Tribes with distributed solar solutions that enhance cost savings on electricity bills for Tribal members
• Advocate for Tribal-specific set-asides in state programs and appropriations that focus on climate and clean energy development
• Increase Tribal participation around resource protection, transmission siting, and long-term resource planning

Raising awareness across these policy initiatives will be key in pushing these priorities towards success. TEA’s Tribal Policy team will act as a bridge between our current partners in policy and regulatory arenas by providing expert bill analysis, testimony support, and education around the impacts of state-level and federal-level policy changes in a rapidly evolving environment.

In one of our priority states, we saw historic investments in New Mexico dedicated to Tribes and Pueblos with a focus on energy resilience, workforce development, and solar energy systems. TEA’s Tribal policy team supported the following policy wins at the NM state legislature:

• SB 48/49: Allocates $340M toward clean energy, green infrastructure, and sustainable economic development, ensuring investment benefits extend to Nations, Tribes, and Pueblos.
• HB 128: Grant fund dedicated to funding solar and storage projects and associated workforce development and technical assistance in rural communities, Nations, Tribes, and Pueblos
• HB 91: Would expand the types of public utility rate structures that the Public Regulation Commission can approve, allowing for economic development rates, load retention rates, and low-income assistance programs extending to Nations, Tribes, and Pueblos 

Through our dedicated commitment to our Tribal partners across various regions, our Tribal policy team remains active and prepared to meet the moment and take the necessary actions required to ensure an energy secure future for Tribal communities.