A report from the Washington State Department of Commerce says that the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) will give more than $4.5 million to tribes in Southwest Washington to help pay for clean energy projects.
The Commerce Department said on Tuesday that five tribes across the state would each get $7.5 million in grants. This is part of $16 million that has been set aside for clean energy projects in tribes. The CCA also includes $67 million for projects that promote environmental justice and fairness.
The Commerce Department says that the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation will get $251,000 to build a 121-kilowatt solar plant on the roof of the tribe’s community center and to look into the possibility of adding batteries in the future.
“This is a great chance for the Chehalis Tribe and the Department of Commerce to work together to reach our shared goal of lowering our carbon footprint in Washington state,” said Dustin Klatush, Chairman of the Chehalis Tribe. “The tribe’s use of solar panels at our community center will help us reach that goal right away, while we start a feasibility study to come up with other plans for the future.” This award really is a win-win.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe will get $1.7 million to build a 100-kilowatt solar array and battery energy storage system on their office and clinic buildings. This will power the buildings and give them extra power for charging electric cars. They will get $2,740,000 to “support the design, permitting, siting, and construction of technology that produces zero emission hydrogen from ocean wave energy.” Willapa Bay Enterprises was set up by the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. Later this year, the Department of Commerce should announce the names of more grant winners.
“The Climate Commitment Act recognizes that different communities will not feel the effects of climate change in the same way,” said Mike Fong, director of the Department of Commerce. As we all know, the government has a past of thinking it knows best what communities need. We’re on purpose turning that way of thinking around. We hope this is the first of many chances to get money that are directly related to what people tell us they need.
