Sustainability and Resilience
Sustainability and Resilience
Since 2002 the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe has accelerated transition to a zero-carbon community, for its economic, environmental, health, and overall resilience benefits.
The Tribe takes a “lifeline sector” approach to achieving zero-carbon sustainability and resilience. Lifeline sectors include: energy, water, food, communication/IT, and transportation
Through local, regional, state, national, and public/private partnerships – and sound planning and policy that pairs climate mitigation and adaptation in decision-making – the Tribe is exceeding its goals.
Sustainability and Resilience Goals
- Reduce and levelize operational costs (lifeline sector operations and infrastructure).
- Create economic opportunity, including new jobs in the “decarbonized marketplace.”
- Achieve zero net carbon emissions by 2030.
Resilience Spotlight – Energy Development Timeline
- The Tribal Utility Authority, BLR Department of
Energy and Technologies, is formed - The Tribe begins developing distributed energy resources
onsite - Tribal government fleet adds electric vehicles
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
installed - Biodiesel manufacturing plant constructed
- Biodiesel manufacturing begins (using waste oil from Tribe’s kitchens to fuel public transit buses)
- Low-carbon, community microgrid project launched
- 0.5MW solar PV; 1MWh battery storage
- Powers 6-building campus – government offices, economic enterprises, lifeline sector infrastructure
- Provides emergency power to certified American Red Cross shelter
- Achieves significant cost savings and greenhouse gas reductions
- Low-carbon, community microgrid is complete
- The Tribe achieves ~$200,000 annual energy
savings - The Tribe increases employment by 10% with new clean
energy and technology jobs
- Tribe’s goal of 40% carbon emission reductions is achieved
- A second low-carbon, facility microgrid at the Play Station 777 fuel station and convenience store is launched
- Uses the “solar ready” canopy and other infrastructure (from 2006)
- 60kW solar PV, 169kWh battery storage, advanced building controls; islanding controls
- Replicable “resilience package” for small commercial buildings
- Add 1MWh battery storage to community microgrid
- Commission fuel station and convenience store “resilience package” microgrid
- Continue ongoing energy efficiency upgrades
- Add solar power to community microgrid
- Launch the Toma Resilience Campus
- Resilience facility and activities, using microgrids as learning laboratories
- Complete Toma Resilience Campus
- Continue zero carbon resilience and economic
projects
Sustainability and Resilience Partnerships
The Tribe’s sustainability and resilience projects would not be possible without partners.
Here is an illustrative list of entities who have contributed and collaborated with the Tribe across a range of sustainability and resilience projects, programs, and innovations.
The Tribe is grateful for these partnerships, and the accomplishments achieved together.
Illustrative Partners
- American Red Cross
- Bureau of Indian Affairs
- California Energy Commission
- California Highway Patrol
- California Public Utilities Commission
- CalOES
- City of Blue Lake
- Colburn Electric
- FEMA
- GHD Engineering
- Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District
- Humboldt County OESHumboldt State University
- Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation
- Idaho National Laboratory
- Kernen Construction
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Mad River Alliance
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- NOAA
- Pacific Gas and Electric Company
- REC Solar
- Redwood Coast Energy Authority
- Schatz Energy Research Center
- Siemens
- Tesla
- United Indian Health Services
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- U.S. Department of Energy; Office of Indian Energy Policies and Programs
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Department of Commerce; Economic Development Administration
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Department of Interior
Select Recognition for Sustainability and Resilience
BLR Tribal
Government Office:
TEL: 707.668.5101
FAX: 707.668.4272
EMAIL: info@bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov
MAILING ADDRESS
(for U.S. Postal Service):
Blue Lake Rancheria
PO BOX 428
Blue Lake, CA 95525
OFFICE LOCATION &
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
(for FedEx, UPS):
Blue Lake Rancheria
1 Aiyekwee Loop
Blue Lake, CA 95525