WASHINGTON — Legislation introduced by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., that aims to give Native American tribes greater flexibility to manage their energy resources is headed to President Donald Trump to be signed into law.
The U.S. House on Monday, Dec. 10, passed the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2017. Hoeven said the legislation streamlines the process for tribes to enter into Tribal Energy Resource Agreements with the Department of Interior.
“This legislation empowers tribes to manage their own energy resources, cuts red tape, drives economic growth and promotes energy development for Indian Country,” Hoeven said.
The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation supports the legislation, Chairman Mark Fox said in a statement. About one-fifth of North Dakota’s oil production comes from within the Fort Berthold Reservation.
“While we continue to expand our energy production and invest in our reservation infrastructure, we look forward to working with Sen. Hoeven to further tribal self-determination over development of our energy resources,” Fox said.
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“We have seen firsthand how burdensome red tape and other barriers have hurt energy development on the Fort Berthold Reservation,” Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said. “The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and other tribal governments around the country deserve to have the autonomy to develop and manage their energy resources in the most efficient way possible.”
