CORRECTION: Due to a miscommunication with the Department of Energy, this office sent out a press release congratulating three Native American Tribes in southern Arizona for receiving new energy efficiency grants. In fact, the grants were awarded last year as part of the Department’s ongoing Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. While other Tribes have yet to receive their awards, the Pascua Yaqui, Quechan and Colorado River Indian Tribes were awarded block grants under the program in 2009, not as part of the most recent round of awards. We regret the error. The text below is retained only for archival purposes.

Washington, D.C. – The Pascua Yaqui, Quechan and Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) are among the eight Native American communities in Arizona to receive a total of more than $1 million in new Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) awards from the Department of Energy. The grants, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, help recipients improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use and create green jobs.

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe received $181,300, the CRIT received $88,200 and the Quechan received $56,400. Approved uses of EECBG funding include commercial and residential building retrofits, developing advanced building codes, expanded recycling efforts, energy-efficient transportation planning, and creating local incentive programs for efficiency improvements.

“This is an important time to make these investments,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva of the awards. “As the economy begins to turn around, we need to think about what kind of business and energy infrastructure we want to build for the future. I strongly support the EECBG program not only for its economic benefits but for the environmental opportunities it creates, and I congratulate the Tribes for receiving these awards.”

The $3.2 billion EECBG program includes a specifically designated $54.8 million funding stream for Native American Tribes.

For more information, contact:
Pascua Yaqui at (520) 883-5000
CRIT at (928) 669-9211
Quechan at (760) 572-0213