Notice2026-06820
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, Washington, DC
Primary source
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Published
April 9, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, Navy Region Southwest has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 68 (Thursday, April 9, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 68 (Thursday, April 9, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17986-17987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06820]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7062; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042557; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense,
Department of the Navy, Washington, DC
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 Defense, Department of
the Navy, Navy Region Southwest has completed an inventory of human
remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there
is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated
funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in
this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after May 11, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and
[[Page 17987]]
associated funerary objects in this notice to John O'Connor, Ph.D.,
RPA, Cultural Resources Manager, Naval Base Ventura County, 311 Main
Road, Building 632, Point Mugu, CA 93042, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9af0f5f2f4b4eeb4f5f9f5f4f4f5e8a2a2b4f9f3ecdaefe9b4f4fbece3b4f7f3f6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d1bbbeb9bfffa5ffbeb2bebfbfbea3e9e9ffb2b8a791a4a2ffbfb0a7a8ffbcb8bd">[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 Navy, Navy Region Southwest, 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
Human remains representing at least five individuals have been
identified. The 363 associated funerary objects are animal bones, bone
tools, shell fishhooks, shell beads, stone beads, stone pendants, stone
tools, stone bowls, and stone mortars & pestles. From 1905 to 1962,
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from San
Nicolas Island, California by several individuals and eventually
donated to the Navy Region Southwest Cultural Resources Management
Program. There are no records that indicate any potentially hazardous
substances were used to treat the human remains or associated funerary
items; however, an unknown type of glue was used to mount the remains
representing one individual and 264 funerary objects were glued in a
shadowbox.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated
funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
The Department of the Navy, Navy Region Southwest has determined
that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of five individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 363 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> There is a connection between the human remains and
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the La Jolla
Band of Luiseno Indians, California; Pala Band of Mission Indians;
Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pauma & Yuima Reservation,
California; Pechanga Band of Indians (previously listed as Pechanga
Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pechanga Reservation,
California); Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians (previously listed as
Rincon Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of Rincon Reservation,
California); Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa
Ynez Reservation, California; and the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians,
California.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects 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 human remains and associated funerary objects
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after May 11,
2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the
Department of the Navy, Navy Region Southwest must determine the most
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects are
considered a single request and not competing requests. The Department
of the Navy, Navy Region Southwest 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: April 1, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-06820 Filed 4-8-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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