Notice2025-16118
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
August 22, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF), Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB) 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 (SYBCI) who has priority for disposition in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 161 (Friday, August 22, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 161 (Friday, August 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41117-41118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-16118]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6460; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040881; 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 U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF),
Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB) 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 (SYBCI) who has priority for disposition
in this notice.
DATES: Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects
in this notice may occur on or after September 22, 2025. If no claim
for disposition is received by August 24, 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#92e1e6f3f1ebbce1fff3fefee5fdfdf6bca3d2e1e2f3f1f7f4fde0f1f7bcfffbfe"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d3a0a7b2b0aafda0beb2bfbfa4bcbcb7fde293a0a3b2b0b6b5bca1b0b6fdbebabf">[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
DAF, and additional information on the cultural items 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
On January 20, 2023, the DAF, in cooperation with Union Pacific
Railroad (UPRR), conducted emergency data recovery excavations at
archaeological site CA-SBA-530 in response to the presidentially
declared severe winter storm disaster in Santa Barbara County which
undermined the footings of the
[[Page 41118]]
UPRR's Honda Trestle. Excavations were conducted pursuant to the
provisions for emergency situations at 36 CFR 800.12(b)(2). In
consultation with the federally recognized SYBCI, the entire artifact
collection recovered during excavations will be repatriated due to the
presence of humans remains in all three units of the L-shaped block
excavation. In addition to those items, the collection includes shell
beads, lithic and ground stone tools, and faunal remains that, based on
traditional knowledge, could reasonably be considered associated
funerary items under NAGPRA.
Based on the information available, human remains representing at
least one individual has been reasonably identified. A total of 5,098
associated funerary objects were identified in the three excavation
units which had human remains, including flaked and ground stone tools,
debitage, shell beads and ornaments, ground and polished stone, and
faunal remains. No unassociated funerary objects, objects of cultural
patrimony, or sacred objects are present.
Determinations
The DAF has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of at least one individual of Native American
ancestry.
<bullet> The 5,098 objects described in this notice are 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 remains 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 August 24, 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 September 22, 2025. If competing
claims for disposition are received, the DAF Vandenberg SFB 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
DAF Vandenberg SFB 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: August 13, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-16118 Filed 8-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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