Notice2026-18972
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
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
September 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects or objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58701-58702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18972]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7491; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043742; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University,
Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University, Fullerton
(CSUF) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the
definition of unassociated funerary objects or objects of cultural
patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes
or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after October 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Sean Walker, California State
University, Fullerton, 2600 Nutwood Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92831, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c99a9e8885828c9b898f9c85858c9b9d8687e78c8d9c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d28185939e9997809294879e9e9780869d9cfc979687">[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
California State University, Fullerton, and additional information on
the determinations in this notice, including the results of
consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this
notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 42 cultural items/lots have been requested for
repatriation.
In 1982, a private donor transferred cultural items she had
personally collected over the course of 20 years at CA-SBA-205, Jalama
Beach, to CSUF. The seven unassociated funerary objects from this
location are one lot of faunal bone, one lot of miscellaneous lithics
(cores, debitage, manos, beach stones), one lot of shell beads, one
pestle, one lot of shell and shell fragments, one lot of asphaltum, and
one lot of historic material.
The four unassociated funerary objects from site CA-SLO-393, Arroyo
Grande, are thought to be the result of subsurface testing conducted by
Cogstone Resource Management in 2005 under the direction of the late
Sherri Gust. The four unassociated funerary objects are one lot of
faunal bone, one lot of miscellaneous lithics, one lot of soil and
charcoal, and one lot of shell and shell fragments.
In 2000-2003, archaeological excavations were conducted by Cultural
Resources Management Services (CRMS) at various recorded archaeological
sites on the Santa Ysabel Ranch near Paso Robles, CA. Excavations were
undertaken at CA-SLO-1492, CA-SLO-2076, CA-SLO-2079, CA-SLO-2080, CA-
SLO-2082, CA-SLO-2083, CA-SLO-2086, and CA-SLO-2087. The 30 objects of
cultural patrimony from these sites are five lots of cores, chunks,
cobbles, and hammerstones; three lots of groundstone and groundstone
fragments; eight lots of debitage; four lots of chipped stone tools;
four lots of shell and shell fragments; three lots of faunal bone and
bone fragments; two lots of historic materials; and one lot of quartz
crystal. The cultural material is thought to have been brought to CSUF
for use as teaching material.
In 1983, one object of cultural patrimony, a stone point, was
donated to CSUF by Charles Ruby, a private collector. A paper label
affixed to the point indicates that it was found in a canyon in Santa
Barbara County.
Determinations
California State University, Fullerton has determined that:
<bullet> The 11 unassociated funerary objects described in this
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe
or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> The 31 lots of objects of cultural patrimony described in
this notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural
importance central to the Native American group, including any
constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial
society, or other subdivision), according to the Native American
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of
the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by 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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after October 16, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, California State University, Fullerton must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a
single request and not competing requests. California State University,
Fullerton is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
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. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
[[Page 58702]]
Dated: September 10, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-18972 Filed 9-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 16, 2026.
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