The U.S. House on Thursday passed the Native American Energy Act, sponsored by Alaska Congressman Don Young. Young said the bill would encourage resource development on Indian land by expediting permits and limiting legal challenges.
It would apply to Lower 48 Indian land held in trust, and to land owned by Alaska Native corporations.
“The judicial review provision is crucial for Alaska Natives, whose ability to develop their own settlement lands has been abused by special interest groups filing lawsuits,” Young said on the House floor before the vote.
The White House issued a veto threat this week, saying the bill would undermine public oversight and set unrealistic deadlines. Young likened arguments against his bill to government paternalism.
“And those that oppose this, it’s the same old story: Don’t get to smart. We’ll give you a side of beef and a blanket. Don’t let us help ourselves. Let the government tell you what to do,” Young said. “This is a good piece of legislation. This did not come from me. This came from the Native tribes themselves.”
Rep. Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, spoke against the bill. He said it would weaken a bedrock environmental law, the National Environmental Policy Act. And, Grijalva said, it could apply on non-Indian lands, too.
“If an energy company is developing natural resources anywhere in the United States and they get a tribal partner they could fall under this provision,” Grijalva said. “This could incentivize energy companies to partner with tribes simply for the benefit of skirting NEPA and profiting from restricted judicial review.”
The bill passed with 254 votes, including those of 11 Democrats.
Editor’s note: Rep. Raul Grijalva’s home state has been corrected. The congressman is from Arizona, not New Mexico.
