Empowering Tribes To Manage Tribal Energy Resources Through Collective Action
The Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA) is a non-profit intertribal organization founded in 2014 by Midwest Tribes to address energy challenges impacting Tribal lands. We are planning and pursuing innovative Tribal energy projects that respect the sovereignty and unique culture of Midwest Tribes while leveraging the collective strength and resources of all indigenous communities in our region.
WHAT WE DO
Support, Education, and Shaping Energy Policy that Impacts Tribes
We are helping Midwest Tribes unlock the significant value from clean energy resources on Tribal lands. Much of this clean energy potential is untapped. MTERA hopes to change this by bringing together Tribal energy champions and developing each Tribe’s internal capacity to plan, deploy, and manage clean energy assets. We seek to empower the Tribe’s personnel to build successful projects that tread lightly on this earth while enabling Tribal members to live life to the fullest.
$75 billion
The estimated investment potential of solar and wind on Tribal lands.
Initiatives and Projects
Unlocking the vast energy resources of Midwest Tribes
Policies & Action
MTERA Member Tribes, Board Members and Staff all align with key policies that guide our work to implement clean energy projects for Midwest Tribes. Coalition partners are invited to review these policies as well to ensure consensus in our work together.
Key Policies
- Environmental & Cultural Protections
- Energy Sovereignty
- Positive Stakeholder Engagement
CPRG
MTERA has created a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to promote policies, practices, and technologies that reduce pollution, create high-quality jobs, drive economic growth, and enhance the quality of life for all Midwest Tribes.
Funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG), this plan focuses on reducing harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, addressing environmental injustices, and empowering community-driven solutions in Midwest Tribal communities.
SolWeb
The SolWEB program, led by Argonne National Laboratory, is a research initiative that explores the relationship between ground-mounted solar energy facilities and soil health, with a focus on ecosystem services.
As part of this effort, the program includes one-time soil sampling events at solar facilities, including those on Tribal lands. The data collected will be analyzed by approved laboratories and shared in anonymized form through a national database to support broader research and decision-making in the solar industry.
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news
Tribal Solar Initiative and Energy updates
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MTERA Welcomes Red Lake Nation!
The Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association is excited to share that Red Lake Nation has joined our…
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