The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 supplies $369 billion to address climate change and domestic energy production in a more sustainable way, sets targets to reduce carbon emissions by 40% percent by 2030, allows for Medicare to negotiate prescription drugs prices on a few drugs and provides $64 billion to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidy for three years (American Indians are eligible to sign up for benefits under the Affordable Care Act on an open enrollment basis).
Specific provisions in the Act to directly help Tribal nations include:
- $272.5 million to Native communities for climate resilience and adaptation, including ~ $25 million in targeted climate resilience funding to the Native Hawaiian community for the first time;
- $12.5 million to mitigate drought impacts for Tribes;
- $10 million for Tribal fish hatcheries;
- $150 million for Tribal home electrification;
- A tenfold increase (from $2 billion to $20 billion) in loan guarantees for Tribal energy development.
Tribal nations will celebrate this historic step in the right directly as the rest of the Country, and Congress begin to understand what AI/ANs have known since time immemorial ~ interdependence with the environment requires respect for the earth as our very existence depend on it.
The $272 million for Tribal climate resilience over ten years is a substantial increase and will begin to address these climate change challenges. We urge the administration to quickly initiative Tribal consultation to ensure Tribal governments drive how these funds are received.