This regional event will take place November 17-18, 2026 in Reno, NV at the Peppermill Casino & Resort. 

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This is an event that will bring together Tribal leaders, staff, and community members from across the Great Basin region to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with low-carbon energy. The Forum will showcase Tribal responses to the wave of energy and mining projects being proposed in this water-scarce region, whether through consultation, litigation, negotiation of benefits, or tribally-led projects. This two-day event will offer opportunities to share lessons learned, build relationships and networks, gain actionable tools and skills, and identify priority next steps.

 

Over the last decade, hundreds of renewable energy projects have been proposed in the Great Basin, from utility-scale solar to geothermal and pumped storage hydropower plants. The region has also witnessed a rush on lithium and other minerals and metals needed for the development of batteries and other technologies needed to support low-carbon energy. All of this in a region with a long history of conflicts over water scarcity and environmental injustice, as well as a strong legacy of regional coalition-building among Tribes.

 

The Great Basin Tribal Forum will grapple with some of the key questions regarding how low-carbon energy development is affecting Tribes, such as:

 

• What are the implications of low-carbon energy development for the Tribes on whose lands it is proposed? How might it threaten and/or support tribal sovereignty? 

• How are Tribes responding to this proposed development through consultation, litigation, and/or negotiation of benefits? How are they working toward a more just transition through these means and through Tribally-led renewables? 

• What lessons, capacity, and networks can be shared across the region? 

 

This two-day event will explore these questions through presentations, panels, and networking sessions, culminating in a press conference and a synthesis report on key insights and priority next steps.

 

The Great Basin Tribal Forum is made possible by funding from a Sloan Foundation grant led by Dr. Sophia Borgias, Dr. Meg Mills-Novoa, and Dr. Elena Louder with all planning overseen by a Tribal Advisory Committee with representatives from across the region:

• Teri Red Owl (Bishop Paiute) 

• Fermina Stevens (Te-Moak)

• Clifford Banuelos (Te-Moak)

• Mervin Wright (Pyramid Lake Paiute)

• Rick & Delaine Spilsbury (Ely Shoshone)

• Jimmy John Thompson (Timbisha Shoshone)

• Brian Mason (Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute)

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There is no direct involvement or funding from the energy or mining industry. The event is also not a research space - no data will be collected. 

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Funding is available to support the attendance of at least one representative from each Tribe in the Great Basin, covering travel, food, and lodging expenses, as well as a modest honorarium. We welcome additional attendees, though space is limited and funding is not guaranteed. See the FAQ and Registration form for more information!