Indian Tribes Betting Wind Power Isn't a Gamble

Native American tribes like the Rosebud Sioux are seeking to to claim the inheritance of the beautiful, GUSTY area in which they live. If they succeed in building turbine farms to harness some of the country’s strongest and most reliable winds, tribal officials believe they could create a brand new set of economic circumstances for the 29,000 tribal members whose per capita annual income is about $7,700.

In 2003, after erecting a 750-kilowatt turbine that powers the Rosebud Casino near the Nebraska border, the Rosebud Sioux tribal council set its sights on building the Owl Feather War Bonnet wind farm, a 30-megawatt project that could power about 12,000 homes, each about 1,200 square feet.

The idea of hitching tribal fortunes to the wind has gained momentum with the growth of the wind industry, which is expanding so fast that turbines are in short supply worldwide.

If Native Americans can get into the business, some federal officials say, the hope is that wind, like casino gaming, could reshape their economies.