[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 242 (Friday, December 19, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59559-59560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23384]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6734; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041638; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Augustana University, Sioux 
Falls, SD

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Augustana University 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 January 20, 2026.

[[Page 59560]]


ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Gina Palefsky, 
Augustana University, Archaeology Laboratory, 2001 S Summit Avenue, 
Sioux Falls, SD 57105, email [email protected].

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 
Augustana University, 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 two individuals and their 
associated funerary objects have been identified. The one lot of 
associated funerary objects consists of lithics, faunal bone, and 
ceremonial items with a sacred purpose. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from Minnehaha County, South 
Dakota. No hazardous chemicals are known to have been used to treat the 
human remains or associated funerary objects while at Augustana 
University.

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

    Augustana University has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of at least two individuals of Native American 
ancestry.
     The one lot of associated funerary 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.
     There is a 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 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 January 
20, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, 
Augustana University 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. Augustana University 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: December 11, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23384 Filed 12-18-25; 8:45 am]
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