Notice2025-14264
Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of the Air Force, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA
Primary source
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Published
July 29, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Department of the Air Force, Vandenberg Space Force Base intends to carry out the disposition of human remains and associated funerary objects removed from Federal land to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 143 (Tuesday, July 29, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 29, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 35724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14264]
[[Page 35724]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6389; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040641; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of the Air Force,
Vandenberg Space Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Department of the Air Force, Vandenberg
Space Force Base intends to carry out the disposition of human remains
and associated funerary objects removed from Federal land to the Santa
Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation,
California.
DATES: Disposition of the human remain and associated funerary objects
in this notice may occur on or after August 28, 2025. If no claim for
disposition is received by July 29, 2026, the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice will become unclaimed human
remains and associated funerary objects.
ADDRESSES: Send written claims for disposition of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice to Josh Smallwood,
Vandenberg Space Force Base Cultural Resources, Installation Tribal
Liaison Officer/Cultural Resources Manager, SLD 30 CES/CEIEA, 1028
Iceland Avenue, Building 11146, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA 93437-
6010 email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9be8effaf8e2b5e8f6faf7f7ecf4f4ffb5aadbe8ebfaf8fefdf4e9f8feb5f6f2f7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b5c6c1d4d6cc9bc6d8d4d9d9c2dadad19b84f5c6c5d4d6d0d3dac7d6d09bd8dcd9">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
Department of the Air Force, and additional information on the human
remains and associated funerary objects in this notice, including the
results of consultation, can be found in the related records. The
National Park Service is not responsible for the identifications in
this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
As part of a National Historic Preservation Act Section 110 data
recovery effort, two, closely spaced 1-meter by .5-meter test units
(Test Units 1 and 2) were excavated from an eroding cliff deposit at
CA-SBA-697 in September 2022. The site is located on the North Base
portion of Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County,
California. Based on the information available, a single human bone
representing one individual has been reasonably identified. Four
associated funerary objects including three olivella shell beads and a
shell fishhook were also recovered. Non-NAGPRA artifacts including
stone flakes, hammerstones, undifferentiated marine shell and faunal
bone, fire-cracked rock and charcoal were also recovered from Test
Units 1 and 2.
Determinations
The Department of the Air Force, Vandenberg Space Force Base has
determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The four associated funerary objects described in this
notice is reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or
near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of
the death rite or ceremony.
<bullet> The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the
Santa Ynez Reservation, California has priority for disposition of the
human remain and associated funerary objects described in this notice.
Claims for Disposition
Written claims for disposition of the human remains and associated
funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the appropriate
official identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. If no claim for
disposition is received by July 29, 2026, the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice will become unclaimed human
remains and associated funerary objects. Claims for disposition may be
submitted by:
1. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that they have priority for disposition.
Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects in
this notice may occur on or after August 28, 2025. If competing claims
for disposition are received, the Department of the Air Force,
Vandenberg Space Force Base must determine the most appropriate
claimant prior to disposition. Requests for joint disposition of the
human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single
request and not competing requests. The Department of the Air Force,
Vandenberg Space Force Base is responsible for sending a copy of this
notice to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice and to any other consulting
parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3002, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.7.
Dated: July 16, 2025.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-14264 Filed 7-28-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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