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The Gun Lake Tribe gets more than $4 million in federal grants for climate-friendly projects

Three tall solar panels sit on a brown and green grass field. Each solar panel has three segments, a main panel and two smaller "wing" panels that stick out of each side. The trees behind the installation are barren, with a small fenced in area sitting to the right of the image.
Michael Symonds
/
WMUK
The grants come from the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs' Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience.

The Gun Lake Tribe has won two grants aimed at fighting climate change and building resiliency.

Totaling over $4 million, the two grants will go toward renewable energy and infrastructure projects proposed by the tribe.

Most of the funds come from one grant, which was given to the tribe’s electric infrastructure project.

The money will go toward the purchase of electric vehicles and chargers.

Additionally, funds will go toward the installation of solar power systems to reduce the tribal government’s reliance on fossil fuels.

The second, smaller grant of a little more than $180,000 will go to a water reuse project the tribe is developing.

Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.

Report for America national service program corps member Michael Symonds joined WMUK’s staff in 2023. He covers the “rural meets metro” beat, reporting stories that link seemingly disparate parts of Southwest Michigan.