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- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
Tribal Energy Development Capacity Grant Program to Open in 2026
The Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) Grant Program will open in the first quarter of 2026, offering awards ranging from $10,000 to $450,000.
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The program, administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, invites proposals from federally recognized tribal entities seeking to build capacity to manage and regulate energy resources on tribal lands. The grants are intended to help tribes establish the frameworks needed to maximize economic benefits from energy development.
Eligible activities include establishing tribal business entities, utility authorities or energy offices; developing or updating energy policies, tribal charters and legal codes related to energy projects; and conducting feasibility studies for energy resource management or tribal utility authorities.
Grants may also be used to develop long-term strategies for sustainable energy or fuel management to support ongoing tribal needs.
Rights-of-way–related activities are eligible for funding, including reviewing project proposals, negotiating agreements, monitoring compliance, and developing related policies or regulations for energy projects.
For more information, contact [email protected].
Legistlation Introduced to Expand Tribal Internet
Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., introduced the Tribal Internet Expansion Act of 2025, legislation aimed at expanding telecommunications and information services to Tribal communities.
“Access to reliable, high-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity,” Ruiz said. “For too long, many Tribal communities have been left without dependable, affordable broadband needed for students to learn, patients to access care, and families to stay safe and economically secure. The Tribal Internet Expansion Act will strengthen the Universal Service Fund so it better serves Indian Country and helps ensure Tribal nations have the digital infrastructure they need to fully participate and thrive in today’s online world.”
“This legislation strengthens the foundation for expanding broadband and telecommunications access to Tribal lands, supporting the needs of communities to utilize technologies vital to economic growth and success,” Schiff said. “I’m proud to join Rep. Raul Ruiz in this effort to bridge the digital divide and ensure that this necessary resource is reliable, accessible and affordable in every region.”
The Tribal Internet Expansion Act of 2025 would update the Communications Act of 1934 to explicitly include Indian Country and expand essential broadband access to rural, insular and high-cost Tribal and Indigenous communities. With roughly one in four people on Tribal lands still lacking access to reliable, high-speed internet, the bill aims to ensure federal broadband and telecommunications programs better address persistent connectivity gaps in these historically underserved areas.
The legislation has already received widespread support from Tribal leaders and organizations.
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