The Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands plans to transfer human remains and funerary objects, found in South Dakota, back to Native American tribes as required by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The identified tribes with priority for this process include the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, several Sioux and Cheyenne River Tribes, among others. If any tribe or descendant wants to claim the remains, they must send a written request by January 16, 2026. If competing claims occur, the Forest Service will decide on the appropriate claimant. Disposition may start after February 18, 2025.
Simple Explanation
The government is giving back old bones and special items they found on land to the Native American tribes they belong to, but they need those tribes to ask for them by writing a letter before January 16, 2026. If more than one tribe wants the same things, the government will decide who gets them.