A bill to lease tribal land for energy development?

A bill that could speed up the process to lease tribal lands for energy development — such as mineral and renewable energy exploration — is waiting on a vote from the U.S. Senate.

The bill, introduced last October by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., passed the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Sept. 13.

The bill aims to modify a section of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, which tried but failed to give tribes more control over leasing and business agreements on tribal land and accelerate the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs’ leasing process.