SHELBYVILLE, MI – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland joined leaders of Michigan’s Gun Lake Tribe to announce $120 million in new federal funding to help tribal communities prepare for climate changes.

Haaland visited the Indigenous tribe based in Shelbyville on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, to announce $120 million in new federal funds for tribal climate resiliency efforts. The money is meant to help Native tribes nationwide respond to climate threats by relocating critical infrastructure, among other climate actions.

The interior secretary said climate-related impacts are affecting tribal communities across the country in a variety of ways, whether sea level rise, extreme weather, or other challenges.

Haaland announced the new federal funding from the homeland of the Gun Lake Tribe, which recently received $4 million in federal funds to buy electric vehicles and install solar energy panels.

“Tribes are not a monolith, and neither are the challenges that we all face. And that is why as we deploy these resources at record pace, we’re putting the decision making in the hands of tribes to do what is best for communities,” Haaland said.

The new funds are from the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) program for tribal climate resilience, which was authorized through the bipartisan infrastructure and inflation reduction laws. It’s part of nearly $560 million in collective federal investments for tribal climate resilience programs.

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland, a citizen of Bay Mills Indian Community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, attended the announcement Tuesday in West Michigan. He said President Joe Biden and his team are “putting their money where our mouths are when it comes to Indian Country.”

Newland encouraged tribal nations to contact BIA for help applying for these federal dollars.

“We’re excited about the historic investment that reflects the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to protecting tribes’ abilities to remain and exist in their homelands in the face of a changing climate,” Newland said.

“And this funding provides tribes with the resources they need to develop and implement strategies for their communities to protect homes and infrastructure, and if necessary to relocate to higher ground.”

Gun Lake Tribal Chairman Bob Peters said they want to maximize the positive impact of the federal money, starting with EVs for both public safety and the tribe’s gaming needs. He called it the “beginning of more environmentally friendly” practices across the tribe’s operations.

Indigenous tribes across the nation will be able to apply for these new grant dollars for a range of efforts, including adaption planning, drought measures, extreme weather preparation, wildland fire relief, managed retreat, and ocean and coastal habitat management.

Haaland credited Biden with making tribal consultation a priority for the federal government and increasing federal investment in tribal communities. She is the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary.

Also while in Michigan, Haaland together with White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden participated in a roundtable discussion about increasing tribal access to public and private capital streams to expand economic development.

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