Indian Country Energy Services (ICES) is a native-owned business that provides all facets of energy consulting services to Tribes. ICES President Brian Patterson (Oneida, NY) states “We are excited to be partnering with Tribal Chief Brenda Commander and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. As one of the forerunners in Indian Country, the Houlton Band of Maliseet have been leaders in many areas specifically with their business entity Tribalco which is an 8a providing multiple service contracts for the federal government. As the President of United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) of which Houlton Band of Maliseet is a member, I have had the privilege of working with Tribal Chief Commander for many years and look forward to helping to serve the Tribe in their energy needs.”
ICES Founding Partner, Jannine Salo, notes "With years of experience working with and for various Tribal Governments, it is always an honor to work with such a progressive Tribe and a true leader such as Tribal Chief Brenda Commander. We are excited at the opportunity to serve the Tribe and help them reach their renewable energy goals."
The Houlton Band of Maliseet is a federally recognized Tribal Nation located in Maine. According to the Tribe, “In the early 1970's, some Maliseet and members of other tribes not living on recognized reservations banded together to form the Association of Aroostook Indians, which eventually allowed them access to federal and state programs. The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians (HBMI) has been federally recognized as a government by the United States of America since October of 1980. This federal recognition gives HBMI a unique government to government trust relationship with the United States. In turn, recognition entitles the Houlton Band to many services provided to Indians by the United States of America, including health care through Indian Health Services (IHS), housing through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the ability to govern our own Tribal Affairs.
The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is comprised of some 800 members and is lead by a Tribal Chief. A smaller band of the larger Maliseet Nation of New Brunswick, Canada, the Houlton Band calls the Meduxnekeag River home. The Maliseets are river people who have traditionally been hunters and gatherers in the St. John River basin, of which the Meduxnekeag is a tributary.
ICES provide services to Tribes with no cost to the Tribes. Services are generally funded by suppliers, business partners, and investors. Service offerings include Tribal Energy Audits, Supply Management, Competitive Procurement Services, Load Shifting, Renewable Energy Services, Demand Response, Micro Grid Assessment and Design. ICES specializes in helping Tribes determine how best to maximize Tribal energy assets and innately understand how fiscally limiting it can be for Tribes to fund these efforts in the initial stages. Therefore ICES collaborates with several resources to support the business model to create a performance based fee structure. This enables Tribes to choose which option is most viable for their individual needs without cost. ICES partners with Geo-thermal, Solar, Wind, and Biomass companies to bring these options to Tribes in an affordable way while also providing mechanisms for job training and creation. For more information please visit the website at www.IndianCountryEnergy.com
