Red Lake Nation to Receive Federal Grant for Clean Energy Infrastructure

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, who is a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced yesterday that Red Lake Nation will receive $600,000 in federal funding to connect Red Lake Nation homes to clean electricity, including homes previously not connected to electricity at all. The grants are made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.

According to a statement from Red Lake Nation Chairman Darrell Seki Sr., the grant, called the Tribal Electrification Program, will help the Red Lake community develop a robust planned process to coordinate energy improvements over the next five years in a number of ways. The priorities are increasing the reliability of the electric power grid on the reservation, reducing the environmental footprint of the community, reducing the cost of clean energy, and growing a core group of clean power and energy conservation practitioners in the community.

Along with Red Lake Nation, Prairie Island Indian Community will receive $500,000, and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa will receive $295,000 in federal funding.