Indian Energy Development: Actions Needed to Address BIA Management Challenges

Indian energy resources hold significant potential for development, but according to a 2014 Interior document, these resources are underdeveloped relative to surrounding non-Indian resources. Development of Indian energy resources is a complex process that may involve federal, tribal, and state agencies. Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) has primary authority for managing Indian energy development and generally holds final decision-making authority for leases and other permits required for development. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provided the opportunity for interested tribes to pursue tribal energy resource agreements (TERAs)—agreements between a tribe and Interior that allow the tribe to enter into energy leases and agreements without review and approval by Interior. However, no tribe has entered into a TERA. This testimony by Frank Rusco, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, highlights the key findings of the Government Accountability Office's (GAO’s) June 2015 report (GAO-15-502). It focuses on factors that have (1) hindered Indian energy development and (2) deterred tribes from pursuing TERAs. For the June 2015 report, GAO analyzed federal data; reviewed federal, academic, and other literature; and interviewed tribal, federal and industry stakeholders. In its June 2015 report, GAO recommended that Interior take steps to address data limitations, track its review process, and provide clarifying guidance. In an August 2015 letter to GAO after the issuance of the report, Interior generally agreed with the recommendations and identified some steps it intends to take to implement them.

• Record URL:
  http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/673253.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/673254.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  U.S. Government Accountability Office

  441 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20548
• Authors:
  • Rusco, Frank
• Publication Date: 2015-10-21

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 13p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Energy resources; Indian reservations; Native Americans; Resource development; Stakeholders; Tribal government
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Energy; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01579608
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GAO-16-171T
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 26 2015 9:12AM