Notice of Inventory Completion: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, and State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of North Dakota and the State Historical Society of North Dakota have 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 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54759-54760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17181]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7425; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043531; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of North Dakota, Grand 
Forks, ND, and State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND

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 North Dakota and the State 
Historical Society of North Dakota have 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 September 23, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Dr. Crystal Alberts, 
University of North Dakota, Carnegie Hall, 250 Centennial Drive, Stop 
8193, Grand Forks, ND 58202, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#23564d470d4d424453514263564d470d464756"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0d5cec48ecec1c7d0d2c1e0d5cec48ec5c4d5">[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 
University of North Dakota and the State Historical Society of North 
Dakota, and additional information on the determinations in this 
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the 
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, two individuals, reasonably identified, along with 53,411 
associated funerary objects, were removed from a site in Morton County, 
ND. The 53,411 associated funerary objects include faunal bone, 
ceramics, stone, botanicals, metal, ornamental materials, shells, as 
well as other organic and inorganic materials. The University of North 
Dakota (UND) and the State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND) 
have no record of any potentially hazardous substances being used to 
treat the human remains or associated funerary objects described in 
this notice.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location of the human remains and associated funerary objects described 
in this notice.

Determinations

    The University of North Dakota and the State Historical Society of 
North Dakota have determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> The 53,411 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 reasonable connection between the human remains 
and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

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

[[Page 54760]]

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 September 
23, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the 
University of North Dakota and the State Historical Society of North 
Dakota 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 University of North Dakota is responsible for 
sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: August 17, 2026.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-17181 Filed 8-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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