Under a special election Pearl Casias was elected as the first Chairwoman in the history of the Tribe and served for a time in 2011. Jimmy Newton served as Tribal Chairman from 2012 until his death in 2014. Clement Frost served as Tribal Chairman following Newton's death in 2014. Frost retired in 2017, and in December 2017 Christine Baker-Sage was elected to serve as Tribal Chairwoman. In December 2020, Melvin J. Baker was elected Tribal Chairman. Economy The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s coalbed methane capture project has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of about 379,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide between 2009 and 2017. Conventional coalbed methane production wells were not economically feasible in this location due to the low volume of seepage. The project delivers its gas to natural gas pipelines, and generates additional revenue through the sale of carbon offsets. Notable people Joseph Rael, (b. 1935), dancer, author, and spiritualist See also Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Notes References Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. . External links The Southern Ute Indian Tribe, official website American Indian reservations in Colorado Populated places in Archuleta County, Colorado Populated places in La Plata County, Colorado Populated places in Montezuma County, Colorado Federally recognized tribes in the United States