NEWS RELEASE
BAY MILLS INDIAN COMMUNITY
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BAY MILLS — The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $17.3 million as part of Climate Pollution Reduction Grants to Bay Mills Indian Community. The funds will be utilized to create a solar array that will offset the community’s energy consumption while promoting the renewable and sustainability goals of the State of Michigan.
BMIC has made a concerted effort over the past six years to understand its energy infrastructure and identify renewable energy solutions that will support its long-term sustainability goals. In addition to renewable energy efforts, BMIC has also adopted a “Green Buildings and Grounds Checklist” and conducted a Green Community Assessment.
“BMIC has dedicated significant effort to understanding our energy infrastructure and identifying renewable energy solutions that align with our long-term sustainability goals,” said Brianna Gunka, planning manager. “This project goes beyond a commercial solar initiative — it’s about creating energy independence for BMIC while honoring the Tribe’s commitment to sustainability and protecting the future for the next seven generations.”
The energy produced from the solar array will create enough Renewable Energy Credits to completely offset the energy consumption of BMIC, making the community 100 per cent renewable in its energy profile. This project will also serve as a revenue stream for the tribe.
Additionally, the solar array will support grid resilience in the Upper Peninsula by providing another long-term price-stable generation project for electricity consumers. The tribe plans to commence solar array construction and distribution system work on Sept. 1, 2025, with completion before the end of 2026.
“This project could not have happened without cooperation and assistance from many partners. Bay Mills Indian Community has worked closely with Cloverland Electric Cooperative to identify opportunities for renewable energy generation,” said Jennifer Satchell, environmental coordinator. “As EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants were rolling out, Michigan’s Department of Energy, Great Lakes and Environment provided technical assistance funding to several organizations who then collaborated with entities interested in submitting the grant applications. 5 Lakes Energy worked closely with us to write a compelling narrative and provided the required technical analysis needed for the application. Bay Mills Community College will also be a part of this project by creating a workforce development program to foster ongoing support and growth of the tribe’s renewable energy endeavors.”
EPA received more than 100 applications from tribal nations, tribal consortia, and territories requesting a total of more than $1.3 billion in funding. EPA selected a total of 34 applicants to fund in a diverse range of projects. These selections mark a major milestone for the $5 billion CPRG program, a program designed to catalyze ambitious climate pollution reduction measures designed by state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions by 2030 and beyond.
