T. Boone Pickens Courts American Indians

(MoneyWatch)  In his never-ending pursuit of U.S. energy independence, Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens took his message Wednesday to American Indians. His plea? Support the construction of wind turbines and solar panels on tribal land. Pickens spoke to American Indians at the annual Sovereignty Symposium in Oklahoma about his "plan" which aims to generate electricity from wind and solar power and use domestic natural gas resources as fuel for cars and trucks.

American Indians living on tribal lands from Oklahoma to the Canadian border would likely be affected since the plains states are viewed as ideal locations for wind power projects. Tribes in southwestern states would be impacted by a solar energy corridor. Oh, and don't forget high voltage transmission lines -- the most vulnerable to NIMBYism.

Pickens speech likely did not fall on deaf ears. American Indians are well aware of the emergence of alternative energies and the likely environmental and economic impacts these projects may have on tribes. As WSJ noted last month, while only the Campo reservation in California has wind turbines operating, several other tribes including the Cherokee in Oklahoma are getting close to lease agreement with wind developers.

The federal government -- Indian Affairs Offices of Energy and Economic Development and the Department of Energy -- has joined the effort and launched a Web site as a clearinghouse of environmental information for tribes on traditional and renewable energy resource development. Then there is the government's Tribal Energy Program formed to promote energy sufficiency, economic growth and employment on tribal lands.

The U.S. Department of Interior has identified 77 of the 276 Indian reservations with the most wind-power potential. Forty of these are in states that enacted the Renewable Portfolio Standard, which requires utilities to buy a percentage of its power from renewable sources.

The tribes get it. But that doesn't mean they're going to accept offers from any wind developer who comes knocking on their doors. Nor should they.

Of course, these days the most likely challenge facing proposed solar and wind projects is finding the funds to finance the construction.

Image from T. Boone Pickens Web site, pickensplan.com.