Native America Issues
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Creating investments for rural electrification: The Arizona Sustainable Growth Fund
In 2000, Tucson Electric Power (TEP) announced that it was going to add two new coal-fired units at its Springerville power plant. After reviewing the air-quality permits, the Trust filed a lawsuit blocking construction of the new units unless the pollution was significantly reduced. Because of this lawsuit, TEP agreed to reduce the plant’s pollution by 50 percent, even though it was doubling the size of the facility. TEP also agreed to provide $5 million over 5 years to fund projects that would help offset the increase in carbon dioxide from the new units.
The settlement stipulated that the funds would be provided when the first new unit began producing power and that the projects would be chosen by an advisory group consisting of two Grand Canyon Trust representatives, two from TEP, and one chosen by consensus vote. As a result, the Trust worked with representatives from the Salt River Project (SRP), TEP, and Arizona Department of Energy (ADE) to create the Renewable Energy Investment Fund (REIF).
The REIF Steering Committee supports renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that:
- Benefit Native American communities in northern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico
- Have additional revenues committed to supporting the project
- Are well-planned and likely to be well-maintained
- Have strong support by community leaders
- Create opportunities for training and employing local residents
- Create opportunities for sustainable economic development
- Strengthen existing or establish new partnerships
This funding is currently supporting renewable-energy and energy-efficiency projects on remote residences, community buildings, and schools in partnership with tribes, chapters, federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and private businesses.
Your donations and membership dues make our work with the Navajo and Hopi Tribes possible.
