Resources for the Future Inc.

06/17/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/17/2025 08:31

The Energy Transition for Oil- and Gas-Producing Tribal Nations: Assessing Options for Energy Development with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe

The Energy Transition for Oil- and Gas-Producing Tribal Nations: Assessing Options for Energy Development with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe

This working paper presents the results of a multiyear collaboration with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe-a major natural gas-producing Tribal Nation that relies heavily on fossil fuel extraction and related infrastructure-to support a just economic and energy transition.

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Date

June 17, 2025

Authors

Daniel Raimi, Brian C. Prest, and Alexandra Thompson

Publication

Working Paper

Reading time

1 minute

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a multi-year collaborative research project between the authors, several other researchers, and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, a natural gas-producing Tribe whose Reservation sits near the "Four Corners" region of southwestern Colorado. In this collaboration, we worked with the Tribe to inform their decision-making about future energy development by producing multiple scenarios depicting the potential for natural gas, wind, and solar development on their Reservation. We find that natural gas production on the Reservation-absent the development of new shale formations-declines under all scenarios through 2050, as do associated Tribal revenues. We also find that solar-but not wind-development may be economically viable on parts of the Reservation. Along with these quantitative results, we believe that our collaborative research approach may serve as a model for other scholars who wish to work with Tribal nations within the United States as they seek to ensure their sovereignty in a changing energy landscape.

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Click here to read the full working paper.

PDF - 12.1 MB

Topics

  • Equity in the Energy Transition
  • Fossil Fuels

Authors

Daniel Raimi

Fellow; Director, Equity in the Energy Transition Initiative

Daniel Raimi is a fellow and director of the Equity in the Energy Transition Initiative at RFF. He works on a range of energy policy issues with a focus on tools to enable an equitable energy transition.

Brian C. Prest

Fellow; Director, Social Cost of Carbon Initiative

Brian Prest is an economist and fellow at Resources for the Future specializing in climate change, oil and gas, and energy economics.

Alexandra Thompson

Senior Research Associate and GIS Research Coordinator

Alexandra Thompson is a Senior Research Associate and the GIS Coordinator at RFF and an expert on using spatial data to address environmental and socioeconomic challenges.

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