The 1990s saw two major developments that shaped the work of the energy department. The first was the subscription process at the Bonneville Power Association (BPA). Subscription referred to a series of meetings held by BPA to discuss the terms under which it would sell the power it generated to customers, including Tribes, once its long-term contracts expired in 2001. The ATNI Energy program supported tribal engagement in this process and advocated for member tribes in rate-cases and in testimony to the BPA.   

The second key development of the 1990s was the deregulation of the electrical grid. A series of legislation and rulemaking at the federal level introduced more competition into the electrical grid, meaning electrical utilities no longer held a monopoly over the generation and transmission of electricity. ATNI led the nation in efforts to protect the rights of all tribes, assuring that tribal sovereignty was acknowledged in federal and state rules, and that tribal interests were addressed in policy documents. ATNI member tribes also led the way in embracing the opportunity presented by deregulation and BPA’s subscription process by creating Tribal utilities  and Tribal enterprises.

The ten years between 2005 and 2015 saw a raft of federal energy legislation that broadened what energy meant for Tribes and the ATNI Energy Program. Beginning with the  Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and culminating in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or “The Stimulus”), this legislation ushered in a new focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency to mitigate climate change while increasing energy security. ATNI member tribes that had not traditionally been involved with energy issues became leaders, piloting various forms of renewable energy development and energy efficiency improvements. ATNI’s energy program provided technical assistance to tribes in securing funding for these projects and played an influential role in shaping the legislation and rulemaking to better promote tribal sovereignty.  

The heightened awareness of energy issues during this period also brought heightened awareness of energy resources on Indian lands that sometimes threatened to reduce tribal rights. In particular, many right of ways for energy pipelines and electrical transmission rights-of-way were expiring after their building boom nearly fifty years prior. Many tribes struggled with understanding how to value these right-of-ways and how to regulate energy companies on their lands. Energy companies also attempted to push federal legislation and rulemaking that reduced Tribal consultation during the renegotiation and siting process. ATNI’s energy program provided technical assistance to tribes and legislative advocacy at the state and federal level to ensure that Tribes could more effectively exercise their sovereignty.

With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, tribes saw unprecedented funding for renewable energy development. ATNI supported Tribes in identifying and applying for these opportunities. Under the Trump administration, many of these funding sources were cancelled leading to new challenges for Tribes in financing a green energy transition in Indian country. 

At the same time, increased electricity demand and the rise of Artificial Intelligence (A.I) have created new opportunities and challenges for Tribal leaders as they navigate proposals to build key energy infrastructure like transmission lines, utility-scale renewable energy projects, and data centers on Tribal lands. Today, the ATNI Energy Team supports Tribes in understanding new renewable energy options, the impact of data centers, and more.