Federal regulators have expanded the authority of Native American tribes to impede hydropower projects on their land, responding to a surge in applications seeking to enhance renewable energy in the water-deficient U.S. Southwest.

In the past, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission had permitted developers to proceed with planning even in the face of tribal objections.

However, this approach changed last week. Under the new commission policy, tribes now have the ability to promptly reject proposals, compelling businesses to collaborate if they wish to secure exclusive rights to their hydropower projects from the federal government.

“This is the acknowledgement and respect of tribal sovereignty, which is critical,” said George Hardeen, spokesperson for the Navajo Nation’s president’s office, the Associated Press reported.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently turned down seven project proposals within the Navajo Nation, an expansive territory spanning 27,000 square miles (69,000 square kilometers) across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

Alongside these rejections, the commission unveiled a policy shift, granting tribes equivalent authority to federal agencies in the ability to obstruct projects.

Written by B.C. Begley