Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA
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Issuing agencies
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California State University, Sacramento intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58273-58274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22876]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6599; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041331; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University,
Sacramento, Sacramento, 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 California State University, Sacramento
intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition
of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation
with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after January 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Dr. Mark R. Wheeler, Senior Advisor to
President Luke Wood, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J
Street, Sacramento, CA 95819, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6a070b1801441d020f0f060f182a09191f19440f0e1f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ddb0bcafb6f3aab5b8b8b1b8af9dbeaea8aef3b8b9a8">[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
California State University, Sacramento, and additional information on
the determinations in this notice, including the results of
consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this
notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of at least 576 cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The 576 objects of cultural patrimony include faunal
remains, flaked and ground stones, modified shells and stones, and
unmodified stones. An unknown number of unidentified cultural items may
be missing from the collection, which may include other categories of
items. The cultural items were collected from CA-SIE-20, CA-SIE-21 and
CA-SIE-Unknown in Sierra County, CA in the 1960s by the Central
California Archaeological Foundation under contract with the National
Park Service prior to the construction of Stampede Reservoir. The
collection has since been housed at the California State University,
Sacramento under accession number 81-CSUS-188. In 2024, the National
Park Service denied having possession or control of the collections
and; thus, California State University, Sacramento assumed control of
the collections and initiated consultation. The California State
University, Sacramento is unaware of any treatment of the objects of
cultural patrimony with pesticides, preservatives, or other substances
that represent a potential hazard to the objects or to persons handling
the objects.
Determinations
The California State University, Sacramento has determined that:
<bullet> The 576 objects of cultural patrimony described in this
notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance
central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-
group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other
subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California (Carson
Colony, Dresslerville Colony, Woodfords Community, Stewart Community, &
Washoe Ranches).
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after January 15, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the California State University, Sacramento
must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a
single request and not competing requests. The California State
University, Sacramento is responsible
[[Page 58274]]
for sending a copy of this notice to the 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. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: November 17, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-22876 Filed 12-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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