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Change doesn't happen on its own. It's led by dedicated and
passionate people who are committed to empowering Indian
Country to energize future generations. Leading the Charge is
a regular feature spotlighting the movers and shakers in energy
development on tribal lands.
Name: Christine Klein, Ja'adtlaa'wul
Tribe: Haida - Gawaa Gitans Gitanee
Title/Role: Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of the
Calista Corporation
Christine Klein, an adopted Haida, grew up near the rural Village of
Loring outside Ketchikan, Alaska. She was given her Haida name,
Jaa'dtla'awul, as a small child by the Gawaa Gitans Gitanee Eagle
Clan. Like many communities the Calista Corporation represents,
Klein's home region previously suffered from staggering fuel costs and lack of jobs, and many
people left. Cheaper hydropower helped some communities in the region survive and remain
sustainable. Because energy often is at the heart of the crisis facing rural Native Alaskans, Klein
has led efforts on behalf of Calista to advance projects that will lower demand for diesel fuel and
reduce costs of living.
What energy challenges is your region currently facing? The Calista Corporation is one of the
original 12 Alaska Native regional corporations established by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement
Act in 1971. The region it serves spans 59,000 square miles in western Alaska and is home to 56
Tribes. The Native villages in this rural region are only accessible by plane or barge, and residents,
like their predecessors, rely primarily on subsistence. There is no grid system or infrastructure to
improve access to power. Nearly every village has its own diesel generator for electricity, and fuel is
delivered once a year by barge.
Fuel costs are sky high-more than $7 a gallon in the largest community and up to $11 a gallon in
the more remote areas. Unemployment and poverty rates in the region are among the highest in
the country. Many Native communities are facing extinction as people move for jobs.
What motivates you to help address these challenges? I know what these Calista communities
face. I lived it. I have a passion for our rural villages and want to do everything I can to help them. A
lot of times, the wealth that comes from our rural resources tends to benefit urban areas most, but
we also have a responsibility to our rural areas so they too can reap the benefits and survive.
What clean energy projects are you currently working on? Because Calista's communities'
only access to fuel is by river barge, an oil spill will be disastrous to the fish people rely
on for food. Our team is coordinating with all the villages to seek alternative
energy solutions.
The corporation, along with many partners, supported a coastal wind turbine effort linking several
villages and is leading a Chikuminuk Lake hydropower feasibility assessment. Calista is also
supporting a region-wide grid feasibility plan.
What are your thoughts on the future of Native Alaska energy development? All our rural areas
are at risk if we don't address the energy crisis. Doing nothing while these villages disappear would
be unspeakable. If we don't get on top of this, your village might go away, like mine did. That's not
something you want to tell people. But I can say that because I've seen it in my own lifetime. It all
comes down to affordable energy. We've got to get basic transportation and energy infrastructure in
place to survive. I think if we worked together, we would be a force to be reckoned with and will get
things done.
LEADING THE CHARGE
CHRISTINE KLEIN
N-,
ON THE
HORIZON
SEPT. 18-20
Community- and Facility-Scale Renewable Energy Project
Development and Finance Workshop
Denver, Colorado
SEPT. 25
Tribal Renewable Energy Series Webinar: Tribal and Utility
Partnership Opportunities
Sponsored by DOE and WAPA
OCT. 13-18
National Congress of American Indians Annual Convention
& Marketplace
Tulsa, Oklahoma
OCT. 21-23
Alaska Native Village Energy Development Workshop
Fairbanks, Alaska
OCT. 24-26
Alaska Federation of Natives Convention
Fairbanks, Alaska
OCT. 30
Tribal Renewable Energy Series Webinar: Renewable Energy
Project Case Studies: Tribal and Developer Perspectives
Sponsored by DOE and WAPA
FEATURED IN PAST ISSUES
To read about tribal energy champions and tribal energy
projects covered in previous issues of Indian Energy Beat,
please visit www.enerv.ov/indianenergv/listings/
newsletter-features.
SUBMISSION IDEAS?
Indian Energy Beat is a publication of the DOE Office of Indian
Energy that highlights opportunities and actions to accelerate
energy development in Indian Country. If you have suggestions
for feature stories, interviews, or news relevant to Indian
energy, please submit your ideas to indianenergv@ha.doe.gov.
LEARN MORE
For more information on the DOE Office of Indian Energy's
efforts to accelerate next-generation energy development
in Indian Country and build a 21st century tribal energy
economy, visit: www.energ.gov/indianenergv or email:
indianenerv@ha.doe.9ov
Christine Klein, Vice Presi-
dent/Chief Operating Officer
of the Calista Corporation
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