Northern Cheyenne Take a Step Towards Solar Energy Independence
1,726 views · Published 13 July 2016 · 1:32 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: Greenpeace USA · 2016 · Nonprofits & Activism
On July 4, 2016, Northern Cheyenne tribal member Elsie Weaslebear commissioned her net metered solar system in Lame Deer, Montana. It is the first net metered solar installation in a rural Montana energy co-op. Just months ago, Arch Coal was proposing one of the largest coal mines in the nation right next to the Northern Cheyenne Nation and Elsie's home. The Otter Creek Coal Mine and adjoining Tongue River Railroad would have destroyed ranches where Montanans live and work. It was proposed on Northern Cheyenne ancestral homelands just miles from the reservation. After years of community activism, the Otter Creek Coal Mine and Tongue River Railroad proposals were defeated. Now, the Northern Cheyenne are looking towards solar energy as a way to power their homes. #keepitintheground
