On November 11, 2022, the Department of the Interior (“DOI”) announced the establishment of a new “Voluntary Community-Driven Relocation Program” to assist Tribal communities severely impacted by climate-related environmental threats. As part of the program, DOI will provide $115 million for 11 severely impacted Tribes to advance relocation efforts and adaptation planning. Additional support for relocation will be provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and the Denali Commission. FEMA is, for example, providing $17.7 million to assist three Tribal communities to acquire, demolish, and build new infrastructure.
Section 70006 of the IRA authorizes the Administrator of FEMA to provide financial assistance for costs associated with low-carbon materials and incentives to encourage low-carbon and net-zero energy projects. Section 80001 of the IRA appropriates $220 million to DOI’s Bureau of Indian Affairs for Tribal climate adaptation and resilience. The announcement issued by DOI indicates that “the Department anticipates spending $40 million to support Voluntary Community-Driven Relocation efforts, with the remainder supporting broader Tribal climate resilience activities.”