Notice2026-01673

Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, Walla Walla, WA

Primary source

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Published
January 28, 2026

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District intends to carry out the disposition of human remains removed from Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this notice.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3733-3734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-01673]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6887; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041885; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Walla Walla District, Walla Walla, WA

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. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla 
Walla District intends to carry out the disposition of human remains 
removed from Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian 
Tribe, or

[[Page 3734]]

Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this 
notice.

DATES: Disposition of the human remains in this notice may occur on or 
after February 27, 2026. If no claim for disposition is received by 
January 28, 2027, the human remains in this notice will become 
unclaimed human remains.

ADDRESSES: Send written claims for disposition of the human remains in 
this notice to Scott M. Hall, Supervisory Archaeologist, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, 201 North Third Avenue, Walla 
Walla, WA 99362-1876, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bbc8d8d4cfcf95d695d3dad7d7fbcec8dad8de95dac9d6c295d6d2d7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0370606c77772d6e2d6b626f6f4376706260662d62716e7a2d6e6a6f">[email&#160;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 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District and additional 
information on the human remains 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

    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least one individual have been reasonably identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present. The human remains are of one sub-adult, 
found eroding from the riverbank near Finley, in Benton County, 
Washington. The remains were discovered by a member of the public in 
2010 and were transferred to law enforcement personnel in 2025 as part 
of a police investigation.

Determinations

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District has 
determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation; 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; Confederated Tribes of 
the Umatilla Indian Reservation; and the Nez Perce Tribe have priority 
for disposition of the human remains described in this notice.

Claims for Disposition

    Written claims for disposition of the human remains in this notice 
must be sent to the appropriate official identified in this notice 
under ADDRESSES. If no claim for disposition is received by January 28, 
2027, the human remains in this notice will become unclaimed human 
remains. Claims for disposition may be submitted by:
    1. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization identified in this notice and, if joined to a request from 
one or more of the Indian Tribes, the Wanapum Band of Priest Rapids, a 
non-federally recognized Indian group.
    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 in this notice may occur on or 
after February 27, 2026. If competing claims for disposition are 
received, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District must 
determine the most appropriate claimant prior to disposition. Requests 
for joint disposition of the human remains are considered a single 
request and not competing requests. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Walla Walla District 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: January 15, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-01673 Filed 1-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on January 28, 2026.

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