Summary
The Hopi tribe in Arizona planned to connect 600 homes to electricity using renewable energy. However, funding for the project was cut after the Trump administration ended the Solar for All program, leaving the tribe to seek alternative ways to provide power to their community.
Key Facts
- The Trump administration ended the Solar for All program, which was set to help the Hopi tribe with renewable energy projects.
- The termination of the program affected funding that was supposed to install solar panels and battery storage for about 600 homes.
- The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022 under President Biden, had initially provided nearly $2 billion for tribes to develop renewable energy.
- Without the Solar for All funding, the Hopi tribe now has to rely on a smaller federal grant to potentially power about 100 homes.
- The Hopi Reservation spans 1.5 million acres in northeast Arizona and has about 3,000 people without regular electricity access.
- Residents often depend on unreliable power sources and face frequent outages, affecting essential devices and appliances.
- A report from the Department of Energy highlights that around 54,000 tribal members in the U.S. lack access to electricity.
