OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation was recognized for having one of the top clean energy programs in the state during the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful 2023 Environmental Excellency Celebration held recently at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
The Cherokee Nation received an Environmental Excellence Award in the Tribal Government Programs category for the tribe’s work in expanding electric vehicle infrastructure and installing community solar panel systems.
“The Cherokee Nation is at the forefront of environmental infrastructure and initiatives thanks to the outstanding professionals within our Environmental Protection Commission and Secretary of Natural Resources Office,” Cherokee Nation Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. “Wado to Keep Oklahoma Beautiful for honoring our tribe for the important environmental work it does. This award speaks to the impact the Cherokee Nation continues to make in environmental protection and preservation across our 14-county reservation.”
The tribe has completed projects introducing eco-friendly electric buses and solar-panel-equipped charging stations in various communities throughout the reservation. Each of the 20 projects is equivalent to removing multiple vehicles from the road, planting more than 10,000 trees and saving hundreds of thousands of pounds of coal.
“Clean energy projects are important to the preservation of our precious natural resources and quality of life for our citizens. We are constantly working to expand these types of projects across the reservation as we work to meet Principal Chief, Chuck Hoskin Jr.’s goal to reduce our carbon footprint by 25% by 2027. We appreciate Keep Oklahoma Beautiful’s recognition of these monumental efforts.
Each year, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful calls for nominations for environmental awards in several categories. The prestigious awards are presented at the organization’s annual Environmental Excellence Celebration, where the best of the environmental best in Oklahoma are honored each November.
Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is a statewide nonprofit organization founded in 1965 and is a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, which is a nonprofit organization with a national network of nearly 1,000 participating organizations working together to improve communities through litter prevention, waste reduction, and beautification.
More information on the Cherokee Nation Environmental Protection Commission can be found by visiting the Environmental Protection Commission website. For more information on the Cherokee Nation Secretary of Natural Resources Office, visit cherokee.org.