On May 7, 2025, the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) convened the inaugural Tribal Working Group Meeting in Washington, D.C., bringing together tribal leaders, DOE officials, and energy experts to collaboratively address tribal energy priorities. The day-long session featured opening remarks by DOE and tribal representatives, followed by in-depth presentations from tribes such as the Caddo Nation, Hopi Nation, Navajo Nation, and Southern Ute Indian Tribe, highlighting unique energy challenges and goals. Key discussions centered on regulatory barriers to energy development and interagency coordination to streamline tribal energy initiatives. Two roundtable sessions focused on reducing red tape and charting a forward-looking path for tribal energy development, culminating in DOE leadership reaffirming commitments to strengthen tribal partnerships and advance energy sovereignty.

Resources:

National Tribal Energy Roundtable

Indian Energy Minerals Forum

FECM Tribal Information Briefings:

• first briefing (Office of Resource Sustainability)
• second briefing (Capacity Building for Repurposing Energy Assets)
• third briefing (Office of Carbon Management)
• fourth briefing (NETL)

Learn more from the Department of Energy's Tribal Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Working Group webpage