Study finds streamlining energy regulations could ease poverty on tribal lands

Easing regulatory barriers for tribes to develop renewable energy projects would reduce disparities and potentially alleviate poverty among tribal communities, according to a new study.

A group led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found historic federal policies deprived tribes of lands rich in natural resources like precious metals and fossil fuels. Even so, tribes were often left with lands most favorable for wind and solar development.

The study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Energy found that’s especially true for the poorest 25 percent of reservations...