Tribal Clean Transportation:
ITEP recognizes the important role that Native American Tribes can and should play in advancing the nation’s clean transportation policy and infrastructure to help address the climate crisis impacting Tribes.
There are currently 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations and Alaska Native Villages, with a total land mass comprising of about 100 million acres. This land base would make Indian Country the fourth-largest
state in the United States.
Tribes throughout the United States have shown an interest and willingness to advance clean transportation technologies on tribal lands. For example, more than 75 federally recognized Tribes have participated with ITEP in the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Environmental Mitigation Trust for Indian Tribe Beneficiaries, whereby old diesel vehicles are being replaced with new clean diesel or zero emission technology. ITEP also recognizes that Tribes lack resources and capacity to increase their engagement on clean transportation technology issues. As such, ITEP created the Tribal Clean Transportation Program to will work with Tribes on the following three clean transportation goals:
- Goal 1 Engagement: To engage, listen and understand the major challenges that Tribes face to achieve a just transition to clean transportation technologies for Tribal communities.
- Goal 2 Deployment: To successfully implement Tribal clean transportation pilot projects to inspire Tribes to scale deployment of clean transportation across all Tribal lands.
- Goal 3 Policy: To provide policy support for Tribes to advance clean transportation issues locally and nationally.
Check out the tabs on this page to learn more about ITEP’s Tribal Clean Transportation Program, or email Heather.Bartlett@nau.edu
On March 15, 2023, ITEP’s Tribal Clean Transportation Program hosted a national webinar for the White House Council on Native American Affairs on their Program the National Electric Vehicle Initiative for Tribal Nations. This meeting provided an overview of this new initiative to ensure that Tribal Nations are part of the EV future of the country. The meeting included an overview of the federal resources for EV development to be equitably shared and supportive of Tribal economies towards the physical buildout of a national EV network that includes Tribal lands and Native communities.
Click here for the slide deck from the March 15th Webinar.
Click here for a recording of the 1.5 hour-long webinar.