FETWG provides Tribal perspective and strategic guidance to unleash the full potential of Tribal fossil energy production and assert energy sovereignty to strengthen grid reliability.
Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs
April 9, 2026
minute read time
On March 17 and 18, 2026, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy (IE) leadership and staff participated in a Fossil Energy Tribal Working Group (FETWG) meeting with the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) and Tribal Leaders from across Indian Country. The FETWG provides Tribal perspective and strategic guidance to unleash the full potential of Tribal fossil energy production; streamline coal, oil, and natural gas resource development; and assert energy sovereignty to drive reliable baseload power, strengthen grid reliability, and secure American energy dominance.
Participation by IE staff in FETWG strengthens awareness of Tribal energy priorities, challenges, and opportunities across fossil energy development. It also fosters meaningful collaboration, helping align federal resources with Tribal goals while building trust and supporting informed, coordinated decision-making.
Last month’s meeting took place at the United States Energy Association in Washington, D.C. and was the ninth in a series dating back to the first Trump administration. The meeting included updates from Tribes, a discussion on the importance of geothermal energy, and remarks from multiple members of the IE and HGEO leadership teams.
The meeting was kicked off with welcome remarks from IE Director Eric Mahroum and HGEO Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Curt Coccodrilli.
Elisah VandenBussche, IE Permitting and Tribal Affairs Specialist, speaks to FETWG member Tribes about partnering with data center developers through mechanisms like land leases to the sale of power to the data center through a power purchase agreement to infrastructure developments and job expansion. Her presentation, “Beyond Land Leases: Harnessing Data Center for Tribal Economic Development Economic Development” was a deep dive into the benefits data centers bring to Tribes, and critical considerations like water use; local and community impacts; and transmission infrastructure, interconnection, and fiber access requirements. For more on this topic, check out the IE data center webinar materials, blog, and fact sheet.
Sandy Pagan, IE’s Tribal Energy Navigator, was also on hand to provide details on IE’s Tribal Energy Navigation service for federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations that are in search of the right resources and contacts to move their energy projects forward.
IE Deputy Director David Conrad listens intently to updates from Tribal Leaders from across Indian Country. A key tenet of FETWG’s mission is to ensure Tribes have a platform to express concerns, provide feedback, and ask questions about energy project development on Tribal lands.
Dr. Tommy Jones, IE Tribal Affairs Specialist and Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group (ICEIWG) staff lead, provides an explanation of the key differences between the four DOE Tribal working groups: State and Tribal Government Working Group (STGWG), Nuclear Energy Tribal Working Group (NETWG), ICEIWG, and FETWG.
On the second day of this two-day meeting, FETWG members heard from leaders across DOE. Speakers included HGEO Office of Coal Director of Business Operations Joseph Giove, Bureau of Indian Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary- Indian Affairs for Policy and Economic Development Kennis Bellmard, and DOE’s Energy Dominance Financing Office’s Senior Investment Officer (contractor) Sebastian Jano.