Notice2025-23048
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 17, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Michigan has completed an inventory of human remains (hereinafter referred to as "Ancestral remains" or "Ancestors") and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the Ancestral remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58608-58609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23048]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6694; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041434; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, MI
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 University of Michigan has completed an
inventory of human remains (hereinafter referred to as ``Ancestral
remains'' or ``Ancestors'') and has determined that there is a cultural
affiliation between the Ancestral remains and Indian Tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the Ancestral remains in this notice may occur
on or after January 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the Ancestral
remains in this notice to Dr. Ben Secunda, University of Michigan,
Office of the Vice President for Research, Suite G269, Lane Hall, Ann
Arbor, MI 48109-1274, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fe9c8d9b9d8b909a9fbe8b93979d96d09b9a8b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5331203630263d373213263e3a303b7d363726">[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
University of Michigan, and additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Ancestral remains representing, at least, two individuals have been
identified. On an unknown date prior to 1951, the Ancestors were
removed from an unspecified location on the shore of Lake Champlain
west of Orwell Village in Vermont. W.A. Dewey donated the Ancestral
remains to the U-M Museum of Anthropological Archaeology (UMMAA). The
year of acquisition is uncertain, but the sequence of UMMAA's accession
records may suggest the donation was made in the 1920s. No time period
has been determined for the burial. There are no associated funerary
objects present. Although early records indicated the presence of
animal bone fragments, no animal bone fragments have been located among
the UMMAA's holdings, and it is believed that this may have been a mis-
notation of Ancestral remains. Consultation occurred with
representatives of the Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin; as well
as the W8banaki First Nation of W[ocirc]linak and Odanak, Canada.
The University of Michigan has no record of, nor do its officials
have any knowledge of, any treatment of the Ancestors with pesticides,
preservatives, or other substances that represent a potential hazard to
the collection(s) or to persons handling the collection(s).
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location or acquisition
[[Page 58609]]
history of the Ancestral remains described in this notice.
Determinations
The University of Michigan has determined that:
<bullet> The Ancestral remains described in this notice represent
the physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> There is a connection between the Ancestral remains
described in this notice and the Stockbridge Munsee Community,
Wisconsin.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the Ancestral remains in this
notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this
notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations 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 the requestor is a lineal
descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with
cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the Ancestral remains described in this notice to a
requestor may occur on or after January 16, 2026. If competing requests
for repatriation are received, the University of Michigan must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the Ancestral remains are considered
a single request and not competing requests. The University of Michigan
is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes
and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and any
other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: December 2, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23048 Filed 12-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 17, 2025.
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