However, the development of Indian energy resources can be a complex  process involving a range of stakeholders, including federal, tribal, and  state agencies. Figure 2 shows various roles federal agencies may  have in the development of Indian energy resources. Multiple federal agencies have a regulatory role associated  with Indian energy development. According to DOE and Interior officials, since May 2014, the federal  agencies that formed the Energy Subgroup have taken the following  actions:  IE and IEED signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2016 as  a format for collaboration between the two agencies;  IE and IEED began to meet regularly in August 2015 to discuss  projects involving  both agencies and grant release dates, among  other things;  IE, with input from numerous other agencies, developed a web-based  tool that provides information about grant, loan, and technical  assistance programs available to support tribal energy projects;  IE hosted events to encourage tribal engagement, such as the  September 2015 National Tribal Energy Summit: A Path to Economic  Sovereignty; and  IE, Interior, USDA, GSA, DOD, and Treasury convened a meeting to  discuss opportunities to provide technical and financial assistance to a  planned 1-gigawatt wind and transmission infrastructure project. The Effectiveness of the Energy Subgroup and Service Center in Helping Overcome Factors Hindering Indian Energy Development May Be Limited by Several Factors

		The Energy Subgroup Has Not Fully Incorporated Leading Practices for Collaboration, Which May Limit Its Effectiveness

The Energy Subgroup has not fully incorporated leading practices that  can help agencies enhance and sustain collaborative efforts, which may  limit its effectiveness in addressing long-standing factors that hinder  Indian energy development. Federal agencies have  dedicated few staff and financial resources to the Energy Subgroup, have  not identified the resources needed to accomplish its goals, and do not  have an agreed-upon funding model. A few  federal officials told us the effectiveness of the Subgroup in  accomplishing tasks is limited without dedicated resources. Without dedicated resources, key activities completed to date are  generally the result of individual  federal agencies that voluntarily identified  and applied their own budgetary resources to specific work activities. Without documenting how all members in the Subgroup  are expected to collaborate, it is unclear how participating agencies will  organize their individual and joint activities to address the factors that  hinder Indian energy development. Interior has recognized the need for collaboration in the  regulatory process and described the Service Center as a center point of  collaboration for permitting that will break down barriers between federal  agencies. By not serving as a central point of contact or lead agency,  the Service Center will be limited in its ability to improve efficiencies in the  federal regulatory process to only those activities that can benefit from  increased coordination between BIA and BLM. BIA Has Not Incorporated Key Workforce Management Practices

In June 2015, we reported that BIA’s long-standing workforce challenges,  such as inadequate staff resources and staff at some offices without the  skills needed to effectively review energy-related documents, were also  factors hindering Indian energy development. In this review, we found  that BIA also has high vacancy rates at some agency offices, and it has  not conducted key workforce planning activities that may be further  contributing to its long-standing workforce challenges. BIA has not identified key skills needed or skill gaps. Conclusions

Recognizing the importance of a collaborative federal approach to help  Indian tribes achieve their energy goals and to more efficiently fulfill  regulatory responsibilities and manage some Indian energy resources,  the President and Interior undertook two key initiatives, in the form of the  Energy Subgroup and the Service Center. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorization of a preference for tribal  entities has the potential to increase tribal access to the largest single  purchaser of energy in the United States—the federal government. However, GSA—the primary entity responsible for purchasing power for  the federal government—has not developed guidance to implement the  authority to provide a tribal preference government-wide. We recommend that the Secretary of the Interior, as Chair of the  White House Council on Native American Affairs, direct the co-chairs  of the Council’s Energy Subgroup to take the following two actions:  (1) Identify appropriate resources needed for the Subgroup to  accomplish its goals, as well as a funding model. We recommend that the Secretary of the Interior direct the Director of  the Bureau of Indian Affairs to take the following six actions:  (1) Include the other regulatory agencies in the Service Center, such  as FWS, EPA, and the Army Corps of Engineers, so that the  Service Center can act as a single point of contact or a lead  agency to coordinate and navigate the regulatory process. (5) Incorporate effective workforce planning standards by assessing  critical skills and competencies needed to fulfill BIA’s  responsibilities related to energy development and by identifying  potential gaps. We recommend that the Administrator of the General Services  Administration develop implementing guidance to clarify how  contracting officials should implement and apply the statutory  authority to provide a tribal preference to future acquisitions of energy  products.
Why GAO Did This Study

Indian tribes and their members hold considerable energy resources and may use these resources to provide economic benefits and improve the well-being of their communities. However, GAO and others have found that Indian energy development is hindered by several factors, such as a complex regulatory framework, BIA workforce challenges, and limited access to energy markets.
Tribes and their members determine how to use their energy resources. In doing so, they work with multiple federal agencies with various roles in the development process—including a regulatory role, a role as provider of technical and financial assistance, or as a purchaser of energy.
GAO was asked to evaluate issues related to Indian energy development. This report examines, among other things, (1) federal efforts to help overcome factors that hinder development, (2) BIA's efforts to address workforce challenges, and (3) federal efforts to implement a preference authority to purchase energy from tribes. GAO analyzed federal data and documents and interviewed tribal and federal officials.

What GAO Found

Two key federal initiatives led by the Department of the Interior (Interior)—the interagency White House Council on Native American Affairs’ Energy Subgroup (Energy Subgroup) and Interior’s Indian Energy Service Center (Service Center)—were implemented to help improve collaboration and the effectiveness of federal efforts to fulfill management responsibilities for Indian lands, assist tribes in developing their energy resources, and overcome any related challenges. However, the Energy Subgroup and the Service Center have not incorporated leading collaborative practices, which may limit the effectiveness of these initiatives to address the factors that hinder Indian energy development. For example, GAO found the following:
Energy Subgroup: Participating agencies have dedicated few staff and financial resources to the Subgroup and have not identified resources needed or a funding model—a leading practice to sustain collaborative efforts. Some participating agency officials noted that the effectiveness of the Subgroup is limited without dedicated resources. They also stated that key activities completed to date by the Subgroup are the result of agencies voluntarily applying budgetary resources to specific activities. Without dedicated resources and a funding model to support its activities, the extent to which the Energy Subgroup will be able to effectively accomplish its goals is unclear.
Service Center: Interior has recognized the need for collaboration in the regulatory process and described the Service Center as a central point of collaboration for permitting that will break down barriers between federal agencies. However, some regulatory agencies, such as the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have not been included as participants. Without the involvement of key regulatory agencies, the Service Center will be limited in its ability to improve efficiencies in the regulatory process for Indian energy development.
GAO and others have previously reported that Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has longstanding workforce challenges that have hindered Indian energy development. In this review, GAO found that BIA has high vacancy rates at some agency offices and that the agency has not conducted key workforce planning activities, such as an assessment of work skills gaps. These workforce issues further contribute to BIA’s inability to effectively support Indian energy development. Federal internal control standards recommend agencies identify the key skills and competencies their workforces need to achieve their goals and assess any skills gaps. Until BIA undertakes such activities, it cannot ensure that it has a workforce with the right skills, appropriately aligned to meet the agency’s goals and tribal priorities.
A provision in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorizes the federal government, the largest single consumer of energy in the nation, to give preference to tribes for purchases of electricity or other energy products. However, the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency with primary responsibility for purchasing energy, has not developed guidance to implement this provision government-wide; doing so could help to increase tribal access to the federal government’s energy purchasing programs.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is making 10 recommendations, including that the Secretary of the Interior identify resources and a funding model for the Energy Subgroup, involve other agencies in the Service Center so it is a single point of contact for the regulatory process, and require BIA to undertake workforce planning activities. GAO is also recommending that the Administrator of the GSA develop implementing guidance relating to purchasing energy from tribes. Interior, DOE, and GSA concurred with GAO's recommendations.