Policy Brief- August 10

Summary:

Youth Self-Advocacy Webinar – Join IFAI for a Credit and Loans Self-Advocacy Webinar on August 17 at 12 noon CT. This webinar will teach critical tools for Native youth to advocate for themselves with financial institutions, USDA, and Tribal and Congressional leaders. Register for the webinar here!

Senate Farm Bill – The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance the Farm Bill during a markup last week due to partisan disagreements over delaying state cost-share requirements for SNAP benefits. The new requirements, which were signed into law last summer, would newly require states to share in the cost of SNAP benefits and will likely result in states shifting resources, restricting eligibility, or withdrawing from SNAP entirely. Democrats have supported a two-year delay of the new requirements. The Committee plans to reconvene in September to try to advance the bill. Read more about the updated Senate Farm Bill text and the impact of SNAP cost-share requirements on Tribes here.

Congress is out for the August recess. The House returns to Washington D.C. on Aug. 31, and the Senate returns Sept. 14.

Agency implicated:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce

Summary:   NOAA is seeking input from the public to help identify U.S. coastal and offshore regions that should be evaluated for potential Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs). AOAs are designated geographic zones that NOAA recognizes as suitable for commercial aquaculture in terms of environmental, economic, and social factors. The agency is requesting data, spatial information, siting considerations, and regional insights to inform the future identification of AOAs. This input will be combined with analyses from federal, state, tribal, and scientific sources to determine which regions will undergo detailed Environmental Review under NEPA. Three webinar listening sessions are scheduled for the following dates:

Eligible applicants: Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations

Summary:   USDA’s Rural Utilities Service is opening applications for the PART Energy Program. The program provides federal loans, with up to 40% forgiveness, to build renewable energy generation projects and energy storage systems. Approximately $410 million in funding is available under the Inflation Reduction Act. RUS will evaluate LOIs on a rolling basis, and applicants may receive financing for 75%–100% of project costs depending on project type and location. The minimum individual award amount is $1 million, and the maximum is $100 million. Projects in Substantially Underserved Trust Areas (SUTA) are eligible for up to 100% of funding without cost share requirements.

Eligible applicants: Indian Tribes, including their arms and instrumentalities; Alaska Native Corporations; Non-profits

Impact to Indian Country: Federally recognized tribes and their instrumentalities are explicitly eligible applicants. Tribes can access large-scale financing for renewable energy and/or storage projects that support Tribal energy sovereignty and rural electrification. Many Tribal lands qualify as SUTA areas, allowing for full federal financing without needing upfront capital.

Deadline: Letters of Interest may be submitted from 11:59 a.m. ET on Sept. 8 to 11:59 a.m. ET on Oct. 9. Selected applicants will be issued an invitation to proceed to the full application. The estimated application due date is May 3, 2027.