PHOENIX — Five tribal nations in Arizona have been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Interior to help their communities prepare for the threats their land will face because of climate change.
The funding is part of a $121 million investment from President Biden's Investing in America agenda.
In a written statement by the Secretary of Interior Deb Holland, “Indigenous communities face unique and intensifying climate-related challenges that pose an existential threat to Tribal economies, infrastructure, lives and livelihoods.”
This investment from the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and 2024 annual appropriations will help Tribe’s plan and adapt to these threats.
The $121 million is the largest annual funding in the history of the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Community Resilience Annual Awards Program. The program will fund 124 projects between 96 Tribes and 10 Tribal organizations nationwide.
In Arizona, the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Navajo Nation, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Zuni Tribe, and Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe were among the recipients of the funding. These funds will help the tribes develop climate resilience plans to protect their communities.
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland wrote, "Today, we are not just investing in projects; we are investing in the future of our Tribal communities."
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In Northern Arizona, the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation received $249,789 for their project to develop a Climate Change Adaption Plan. According to their project summary, "this plan will help address drought, extreme heat, and wildfire risk while protecting resources, cultural sites, and long-term economic sustainability."
The Teesto Chapter House of the Navajo Nation, located 45 minutes north of Winslow, received $249,820 for the development of a comprehensive Climate Resilience Plan.
Their plan includes "conducting community engagement, assessing climate vulnerabilities, and prioritizing adaptation actions. The plan will strengthen the community’s ability to address climate impacts, enhance long-term sustainability, and support the development of resilient infrastructure and ecosystems in the southwestern Navajo Nation," according to their project proposal.
In Southeastern Arizona, the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation received $249,600. Their project will bring together experts to create a Plan for Action. Leaders will review current plans, listen to community concerns, identify values at risk, and gather this information into a single document for shared learning.
The Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation in New Mexico and Apache County, Arizona, will use their awarded $250,000 to create a climate-resilient plan. This plan hopes to address the revitalization of native plants and species, enhance riparian wetlands, and improve water availability.
The Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe received the largest award in Arizona - $3,164,796. This fund will help "improve the water quality and habitat restoration along Granite Creek by mitigating harmful runoff from overwhelmed drainage systems upstream from the Frontier Village Shopping Center and Slaughterhouse Gulch," according to their proposal. Their goal is to help the Tribe's efforts in increasing water sovereignty on reservation lands.
