WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $1 million to help the Spirit Lake Tribe install a wind turbine. The tribe will provide a little over $3.1 million in additional funds for the $4,190,975 project, which will install a 1.5 MW wind turbine on the Fort Totten reservation.
“This investment by the Department of Energy will help the Spirit Lake Tribe become more energy independent,” Hoeven said. “When completed, the turbine will provide over 60 percent of the tribe’s energy needs and will help the tribe save nearly $500,000 annually. We continue to build and support a true, all-of-the-above energy policy in North Dakota and nationwide, including Indian Country. I brought Energy Secretary Rick Perry to North Dakota earlier this week to see first-hand our innovative work in providing reliable and affordable energy for our state and our nation through the use of both renewable and traditional sources.”
Hoeven hosted Energy Secretary Rick Perry this week for tours of the Falkirk Mine and Great River Energy facilities in Underwood as well as an energy roundtable at the University of Mary with state energy leaders. The Spirit Lake project was one of 15 to be selected nationwide and is funded by DOE’s Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Hoeven introduced legislation (S. 245) to help Native American communities achieve greater energy independence. The Senate passed the legislation last November.
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