Search Results for keywords:"U.S. Department of the Interior"

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has announced a virtual public meeting of the Western Montana Resource Advisory Council (RAC) scheduled for January 14, 2025. This meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain Time and is open to the public, requiring prior registration. The agenda will cover topics such as the Tribal Partnership and Reserved Treaty Rights Program and updates from field managers, with a public comment period set for 3:30 p.m. Attendees can participate virtually, and detailed minutes will be made available on the RAC's web page.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced a final rule to adjust civil penalties for inflation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. These adjustments are required annually by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and are intended to maintain the effectiveness of penalties. The rule updates specific penalty amounts and applies to violations of Federal civil statutes. No public comment period or prior notice was required for this adjustment.

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation has completed an inventory of Native American human remains and determined a cultural connection with the Mescalero Apache Tribe from New Mexico. Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, these remains, discovered in Texas, may be repatriated starting April 18, 2025. Any interested Native tribes or direct descendants can request repatriation, and if multiple requests are made, the department will decide the right requestor. The notice ensures compliance with legal and respectful handling of Native American ancestral remains.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Kobuk Valley National Park intends to return human remains to Native American descendants as per the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Human remains of at least two individuals were found in Alaska and are currently stored in Anchorage. Disposition of these remains is planned to begin after April 18, 2025, but if no claims are received by March 19, 2026, they will be considered unclaimed. The Native Village of Kiana is given priority for claiming these remains, but other claims will be considered if evidence shows priority.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has completed an inventory of human remains and determined a cultural connection between the remains and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The human remains, found in 1962 and currently housed at the University of Oregon's Museum of Natural and Cultural History, are those of one Native American individual. Repatriation of these remains may begin on or after April 17, 2025, to the interested tribes, descendants, or organizations, with BLM responsible for resolving any competing claims.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Oklahoma-Texas Area Office (OTAO) has completed its inventory of human remains as required by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). They have determined a cultural affiliation between these remains and certain Indian Tribes, specifically the Mescalero Apache Tribe and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, among others. Requests for repatriation of these remains can be made by tribes mentioned in the notice or others with evidence of cultural affiliation. The repatriation process may begin on or after April 17, 2025, following evaluation of any competing claims.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service has issued a notice regarding the handling of human remains and funerary objects taken from federal or tribal lands in Alaska, following the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). These items were excavated between 1999 and 2003 from the Cutbank Site and are held at the Alaska Regional Curatorial Center. The notice outlines plans to return them to the appropriate Native American tribes or descendants, with disposition possible from April 17, 2025. Claimants have until March 18, 2026, to submit claims or the items may be deemed unclaimed.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GRSM) plans to return a cultural item, a stone pipe, that is considered a sacred object, to the rightful descendant or affiliated tribe under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The stone pipe was originally associated with Yonaguska, a known Cherokee leader, and donated to the park in 1937. Repatriation could occur on or after February 18, 2025, and any additional claims need to be supported with evidence showing cultural affiliation or lineal descent. If multiple requests are made, GRSM will determine the most appropriate requestor before proceeding with the repatriation.

The National Park Service announced its plan to return human remains found at the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Nevada to the descendants or tribal group with the strongest claim. According to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), these remains, identified as Native American, can be claimed by any lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations. The remains are primarily intended for the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada, but other parties can also submit claims based on evidence. If no claims are received by April 20, 2026, the remains will be considered unclaimed.

The National Park Service, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, plans to return human remains found at Luna Moth Rockshelter in Scott County, Tennessee, to their rightful Native American descendants or affiliated tribes, in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). These remains, which belong to one individual of Native American ancestry, are currently kept at the Southeast Archeology Center in Florida. Multiple tribes, including the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation, have been identified as having priority for the remains' disposition. Interested parties must claim the remains by December 5, 2025, or they will be considered unclaimed. Disposition can occur as soon as January 6, 2025, if claims are made.