Clean energy grant funds study and supports CSKT's acquisition and operation of Kerr Dam

PABLO — The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes recently obtained $475,000 through a Department of Energy grant.

The funds will support clean energy projects on tribal lands. In all, 31 tribal projects landed $6.3 million in grants, which will be allocated in the next two years. These competitive grants are part of the DOE’s ongoing efforts to support tribal energy development and partnerships with tribal nations.

The grants will fund strategic energy plans, tribal member skill building and energy-efficiency improvements of tribal buildings. These investments will help tribal communities reduce energy waste while expanding the use of clean energy technologies and promoting economic development.

CSKT will use $275,000 for a feasibility study to assess energy efficiency improvement projects and implement energy conservation measures in existing Tribal facilities. Another $200,000 from the DOE grant will help fund the development of an organizational structure to support the tribe’s acquisition and subsequent operation of the Kerr Hydroelectric project as a wholesale power generation facility.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu released news of the grants July 21.

“The tribes are grateful for the assistance in building the needed capacity for operation of Kerr Dam. The tribal acquisition will be completed in 2015,” said CSKT Council Chairman E.T. “Bud” Moran. “Since the construction of Kerr Dam in 1934, generations of tribal leaders strived for the dam’s acquisition. The return of the complex means a return to the tribes’ control over primary homeland resources, which already include Flathead Lake and the Lower Flathead River. These resources will generate significant economic contributions for decades.”   

CSKT’s Department of Energy Director Brian Lipscomb said, “These funds will be used to support the hiring of key positions for a tribally-operated wholesale power-generation corporation including staff for marketing the energy and hydro power engineering.”

In all, Lipscomb said an estimated 12-18 highly-skilled positions will be created to operate the dam and market its power.

“For 75 years, the tribes have planned for this time and we’re excited for the opportunity,” Lipscomb said.