Receipt of Documented Petition for Federal Acknowledgment as an American Indian Tribe

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Department of the Interior (Department) gives notice that the group known as the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band of the Mission San Juan Bautista has filed a documented petition for Federal acknowledgment as an American Indian Tribe with the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs. The Department seeks comments and evidence from the public on the petition.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 161 (Friday, August 21, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 161 (Friday, August 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54367-54368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17054]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[267A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.000000]


Receipt of Documented Petition for Federal Acknowledgment as an 
American Indian Tribe

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior (Department) gives notice that 
the group known as the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band of the Mission San Juan 
Bautista has filed a documented petition for Federal acknowledgment as 
an American Indian Tribe with the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs. 
The Department seeks comments and evidence from the public on the 
petition.

DATES: Comments and evidence must be postmarked by December 21, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the narrative portion of the documented petition, 
as submitted by the petitioner (with any redactions appropriate under 
25 CFR 83.21(b)), and other information are available at the Office of 
Federal Acknowledgement's (OFA) website: <a href="http://www.bia.gov/as-ia/ofa">www.bia.gov/as-ia/ofa</a>. Submit 
any comments or evidence to: Department of the Interior, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Attention: Office of Federal 
Acknowledgement, Mail Stop 4071 MIB, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 
20240, or by email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84cbe2e5dbcdeae2ebc4e6ede5aae3ebf2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eca38a8db3a5828a83ac8e858dc28b839a">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nikki Bass, OFA Director, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, 
by phone: (202) 513-7650; or by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9dd2fbfcc2d4f3fbf2ddfff4fcb3faf2eb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dd92bbbc8294b3bbb29dbfb4bcf3bab2ab">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 31, 2015, the Department's revisions 
to 25 CFR part 83 became final and effective (80 FR 37861). A key goal 
of the revisions was to improve transparency through increased notice 
of petitions and providing improved public access to petitions. Today 
the Department informs the public that a complete documented petition 
has been submitted under the current regulations, that portions of that 
petition are publicly available on the website identified above for 
easy access, and that we are seeking public comment early in the 
process on this petition.
    Under 25 CFR 83.22(b)(1), the OFA publishes notice that the 
following group has filed a documented petition for Federal 
acknowledgment as an American Indian Tribe to the Assistant Secretary-
Indian Affairs: Amah Mutsun Tribal Band of the Mission San Juan 
Bautista. The contact information for the petitioner is Mr. Wayne F. 
Pierce, 8070 La Jolla Shores Drives, La Jolla, California 92037.
    Also, under 25 CFR 83.22(b)(1), OFA publishes on its website the 
following:
    i. The narrative portion of the documented petition, as submitted 
by the petitioner (with any redactions appropriate under 25 CFR 
83.21(b));
    ii. The name, location, and mailing address of the petitioner and 
other information to identify the entity;
    iii. The date of receipt;
    iv. The opportunity for individuals and entities to submit comments 
and evidence supporting or opposing the petitioner's request for 
acknowledgment within 120 days of the date of the website posting; and
    v. The opportunity for individuals and entities to request to be 
kept informed of general actions regarding a specific petitioner.

Authority

    The Department publishes this notice and request for comment in the 
exercise of authority delegated by the Secretary

[[Page 54368]]

of the Interior to the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs by Department 
Manual part 209, chapter 8.

William Henry Kirkland III,
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-17054 Filed 8-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P


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