LONGVIEW — The Washington State Department of Commerce director and Cowlitz Indian Tribe chairman signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday to continue state investments into Cowlitz clean-energy initiatives for the future.
Since 2022, the state has invested $8,473,508 in the tribe’s clean energy initiatives. The tribe has received two technical assistance grants supported by the Climate Commitment Act. The act limits and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from large businesses and industries in Washington.
“Washington is leading the nation and the world, for that matter, in developing a clean energy economy,” said Gov. Jay Inslee, who attended Wednesday’s event at the Cowlitz Indian Tribe Transportation Center.
Inslee witnessed Cowlitz Chairman William Iyall and Commerce Director Mike Fong sign the historic agreement.
“It solidifies the relationships that form a partnership that will last for generations,” Iyall said. “It has that type of long-term impact. We’re now directly connected with the state at the level of our very important priorities.”
Iyall said some of those priorities include tribal sovereignty and economic diversification, adding “clean energy will be an avenue to diversify.”
Wednesday’s ceremony began with a drum circle followed by remarks from Inslee, Iyall, Fong, the tribe’s spiritual leader, Tanna Engdahl, and the tribe’s public works director, Dean Reynolds.
“The commerce department has a really unique footprint in this space,” Fong said, “because we work to secure federal funding, and we get state legislative appropriations, as well as Climate Commitment Act resources, to really invest in projects that help advance clean energy.”
Fong said the funding also contributes to creating jobs, helping communities work through environmental pollution and addressing climate change.
Within the Cowlitz Indian Tribe Transportation Center, electric vehicle charging stations, two fleet electrification vehicles (a van and a Ford F-150 truck) and solar panels were examples of what projects are underway. Fleet electrification refers to replacing vehicles that traditionally run on gas or diesel with electric-powered vehicles.
One of the tribe’s initiatives is its Fleet Electrification and Resilient Energy Project, in which renewable energy and a fleet decarbonization plan will be produced through a solar array. The first phase is a $150,000 project to install an electric vehicle fast-charging and battery storage transportation facility.
The second phase is a $500,000 project to install a battery-integrated electric vehicle charger at the Longview site and a direct current dual-port fast charger at the Ridgefield Cowlitz Crossing site.
The tribe plans to provide a wide range of emergency and resilience services through its transportation center for tribal and community members. Solar panels and backup battery storage — which cost about $1.2 million — will not only produce renewable energy for the facility, but it will also produce a surplus of about 65,000 kilowatt-hour renewable energy every year.
“We’ll be looking at being able to work with our neighbors to facilitate their needs,” Iyall said. “So emergency management, for instance, is one of our commitments here. If we need to, we can house some of the locals here who might need some resources in the event of a disaster.”
Another aspect of the clean-energy initiatives includes funding for an electric vehicle and the continuation of the Cowlitz Tribal Transit Service, which serves rural areas in Southwest Washington and provides free transit services where transportation accessibility is limited. Solar arrays can power about 650,000 transit service miles.
As of now, five electric vehicle direct-current fast chargers and 27 electric vehicle level 2 charges are funded. And 292 solar panels have been installed at the Cowlitz Health Clinic and Transportation Building.
Future clean energy plans include installing 242 solar panels at the Tribal Administration Building and electrifying 74 vehicles.
Over seven years, the overall net operational savings is $1.1 million.
When the speeches concluded, Iyall and Fong sat down to sign the memorandum of understanding with Inslee and other council members behind them.
“It’s a dream to come true for me because I’ve been working on this for decades, and now we’ve seen it reach fruition,” Inslee said. “This is a today opportunity for the state of Washington.”
