The Southern Ute Indian Tribe has joined a Western natural gas initiative as a way to advance tribal self-determination.

The tribe is the newest member of the Western States and Tribal Nations Natural Gas Initiative, which takes liquid natural gas from the West and exports it to countries shifting toward lower-emitting fuel sources. It casts itself as an economic development opportunity for rural and tribal communities.

“The Southern Ute Indian Tribe has a strong and successful legacy in energy and economic development,” said Melvin Baker, Southern Ute tribal chairman, in a news release. “The tribe understands the benefit of strong business and intergovernmental relationships to strengthen its self-determination and sovereignty.”

The natural gas initiative tries to address two global environmental problems at once by connecting stranded natural gas resources that are often flared off in North America to global markets, like many in Asia, that need more secure access to cleaner fuel choices.

The international initiative has 24 member organizations, including energy companies, four counties on the Western Slope, Utah, New Mexico and Baja California, Mexico. Two other tribes are involved in the initiative, the Ute Indian Tribe in northern Utah and BlackHawk Energy, a wholly owned Section 17 Federal Corporation of the sovereign Jicarilla Apache Nation.

The Ute Indian Tribe co-founded the initiative. Shaun Chapoose, chairman of the Ute Tribal Business Committee, said the initiative aims to attract more Native American members to advance tribal self-determination through natural resource development.

“As the original guardians of the environment, sovereign tribal nations are uniquely equipped to chart a course toward energy development that supports our continual environmental improvement,” Chapoose said in a news release. With tribal participation, “our collective voice is stronger and makes good on the vision we foresaw when we insisted that the name of the organization reflect more than a single tribal nation.”

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe has harnessed its oil and gas resources to develop and support a multibillion-dollar economy.

By joining the initiative, the tribe will take a leadership role on the board of directors and will be able to help direct the initiative’s efforts.

“The Tribe is excited for the opportunity to join Western States and Tribal Nations and have a seat on the board encompassing multiple tribes, states and counties focused on supporting rural economies while collaborating to provide energy transition solutions for the future,” Baker said.

smullane@durangoherald.com