[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 43, Volume 1]

[Revised as of October 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 43CFR10.5]



[Page 229-231]

 

                    TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR

 

PART 10_NATIVE AMERICAN GRAVES PROTECTION AND REPATRIATION REGULATIONS

--Table of Contents

 

Subpart B_Human Remains, Funerary Objects, Sacred Objects, or Objects of 

             Cultural Patrimony From Federal or Tribal Lands

 

Sec.  10.5  Consultation.



    Consultation as part of the intentional excavation or inadvertent 

discovery of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects 

of cultural patrimony on Federal lands must be conducted in accordance 

with the following requirements.

    (a) Consulting parties. Federal agency officials must consult with 

known lineal descendants and Indian tribe officials:

    (1) From Indian tribes on whose aboriginal lands the planned 

activity will occur or where the inadvertent discovery has been made; 

and

    (2) From Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations that are, 

or are likely to be, culturally affiliated with the human remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony; and

    (3) From Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations that have a 

demonstrated cultural relationship with the human remains, funerary 

objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony.

    (b) Initiation of consultation. (1) Upon receiving notice of, or 

otherwise becoming aware of, an inadvertent discovery or planned 

activity that has resulted or may result in the intentional excavation 

or inadvertent discovery of human remains, funerary objects, sacred 

objects, or objects of cultural patrimony on Federal lands, the 

responsible Federal agency official must, as part of the procedures 

described in Sec.  Sec.  10.3 and 10.4, take appropriate steps to 

identify the lineal descendant, Indian tribe, or Native Hawaiian 

organization entitled to custody of the human remains, funerary objects, 

sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony pursuant to Sec.  10.6 

and Sec.  10.14. The Federal agency official shall notify in writing:

    (i) Any known lineal descendants of the individual whose remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony have 

been or are likely to be excavated intentionally or discovered 

inadvertently; and

    (ii) The Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that are 

likely to be culturally affiliated with the human remains, funerary 

objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony that have been 

or are likely to be excavated intentionally or discovered inadvertently; 

and

    (iii) The Indian tribes which aboriginally occupied the area in 

which the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of 

cultural patrimony have been or are likely to be excavated intentionally 

or discovered inadvertently; and

    (iv) The Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that have a 

demonstrated cultural relationship with the human remains, funerary 

objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony that have been 

or are likely to be excavated intentionally or discovered inadvertently.

    (2) The notice must propose a time and place for meetings or 

consultation to further consider the intentional excavation or 

inadvertent discovery, the Federal agency's proposed treatment of the 

human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural 

patrimony that may be excavated, and the proposed disposition of any 

intentionally excavated or inadvertently discovered human remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony.

    (3) The consultation must seek to identify traditional religious 

leaders who should also be consulted and seek to identify, where 

applicable, lineal descendants and Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian 

organizations affiliated with the human remains, funerary objects, 

sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony.

    (c) Provision of information. During the consultation process, as 

appropriate, the Federal agency official must provide the following 

information in writing to the lineal descendants



[[Page 230]]



and the officials of Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that 

are or are likely to be affiliated with the human remains, funerary 

objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony excavated 

intentionally or discovered inadvertently on Federal lands:

    (1) A list of all lineal descendants and Indian tribes or Native 

Hawaiian organizations that are being, or have been, consulted regarding 

the particular human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or 

objects of cultural patrimony;

    (2) An indication that additional documentation used to identify 

affiliation will be supplied upon request.

    (d) Requests for information. During the consultation process, 

Federal agency officials must request, as appropriate, the following 

information from Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that 

are, or are likely to be, affiliated pursuant to Sec.  10.6 (a) with 

intentionally excavated or inadvertently discovered human remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony:

    (1) Name and address of the Indian tribe official to act as 

representative in consultations related to particular human remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony;

    (2) Names and appropriate methods to contact lineal descendants who 

should be contacted to participate in the consultation process;

    (3) Recommendations on how the consultation process should be 

conducted; and

    (4) Kinds of cultural items that the Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian 

organization considers likely to be unassociated funerary objects, 

sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony.

    (e) Written plan of action. Following consultation, the Federal 

agency official must prepare, approve, and sign a written plan of 

action. A copy of this plan of action must be provided to the lineal 

descendants, Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations involved. 

Lineal descendants and Indian tribe official(s) may sign the written 

plan of action as appropriate. At a minimum, the plan of action must 

comply with Sec.  10.3 (b)(1) and document the following:

    (1) The kinds of objects to be considered as cultural items as 

defined in Sec.  10.2 (b);

    (2) The specific information used to determine custody pursuant to 

Sec.  10.6;

    (3) The planned treatment, care, and handling of human remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony 

recovered;

    (4) The planned archeological recording of the human remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony 

recovered;

    (5) The kinds of analysis planned for each kind of object;

    (6) Any steps to be followed to contact Indian tribe officials at 

the time of intentional excavation or inadvertent discovery of specific 

human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural 

patrimony;

    (7) The kind of traditional treatment, if any, to be afforded the 

human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural 

patrimony by members of the Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian 

organization;

    (8) The nature of reports to be prepared; and

    (9) The planned disposition of human remains, funerary objects, 

sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony following Sec.  10.6.

    (f) Comprehensive agreements. Whenever possible, Federal Agencies 

should enter into comprehensive agreements with Indian tribes or Native 

Hawaiian organizations that are affiliated with human remains, funerary 

objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony and have 

claimed, or are likely to claim, those human remains, funerary objects, 

sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony excavated intentionally 

or discovered inadvertently on Federal lands. These agreements should 

address all Federal agency land management activities that could result 

in the intentional excavation or inadvertent discovery of human remains, 

funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony. 

Consultation should lead to the establishment of a process for 

effectively carrying out the requirements of these



[[Page 231]]



regulations regarding standard consultation procedures, the 

determination of custody consistent with procedures in this section and 

Sec.  10.6, and the treatment and disposition of human remains, funerary 

objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony. The signed 

agreements, or the correspondence related to the effort to reach 

agreements, must constitute proof of consultation as required by these 

regulations.

    (g) Traditional religious leaders. The Federal agency official must 

be cognizant that Indian tribe officials may need to confer with 

traditional religious leaders prior to making recommendations. Indian 

tribe officials are under no obligation to reveal the identity of 

traditional religious leaders.



[60 FR 62158, Dec. 4, 1995, as amended at 62 FR 41293, Aug. 1, 1997]