Returning Power to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe: Energy Policy and Tribal Autonomy

This policy brief addresses tribal autonomy, energy policy, and the resources of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts. Tribal sovereignty has been a difficult and often painful area of discussion for many tribal communities. For generations, tribes have had to carefully navigate their interactions with colonial forces and the residues of colonialist legacies, especially tied to resource wealth and decision-making. Even with the best of efforts by the tribe, their actions often have not impacted the basic legal or economic situations on-the-ground. Their on-going relationships with states and companies continue to undermine tribal autonomy and sovereignty oftentimes simply because they are seen as ‘different’ and ‘lesser’. These behaviors from the now naturalized U.S. government oppresses them. Even in 2024, many tribes in the U.S. still stand at square one in regards to decision-making about valuable resources. In the West, with reservations spanning thousands of miles, many tribal homes do not have basic utilities, such as electricity and sewage services. In the East, however, tribes are just getting back small patches of their land and can look to the West for inspiration on building infrastructure for tribal members. When it comes to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts, their autonomy continues to be tested, as they are not the sole owners of their resources. This policy brief reviews the underlying history, especially the legal history, of the Wampanoag and immediately related groups. More specifically, it suggests alternatives to extant policy that improve tribal autonomy and energy self-reliance in an era of imbalanced power that weakens tribal self-determination. These policy alternatives take into account economic and social barriers that affect the tribe and, moreover, offer a basic income plan that redefines tribal relations and demands accountability from outsiders.