The U.S. has a long record of extracting resources on Native lands and ignoring tribal opposition, but a decision by federal energy regulators to deny permits for seven proposed hydropower projects suggests that tide may be turning.
As the U.S. shifts from fossil fuels to clean energy, developers are looking for sites to generate electricity from renewable sources. But in an unexpected move, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied permits on Feb. 15, 2024, for seven proposed hydropower projects in Arizona and New Mexico.
The reason: These projects were located within the Navajo Nation and were proposed without first consulting with the tribe. FERC said it was “establishing a new policy that the Commission will not issue preliminary permits for projects proposing to use Tribal lands if the Tribe on whose lands the project is to be located opposes the permit.”
People need to stop calling hydropower “green”. It disrupts natural ecosystems, often to the detriment of local native peoples and species. Just because it’s not pumping out huge amounts of greenhouse gases doesn’t mean it’s environmentally friendly.
We’re finally starting the work to remove dams in the Pacific Northwest due to the damage they have caused over the decades.
