Army Corps and Nebraska Society Prepare South Dakota Remains for Return
Published Date: 6/17/2025
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Nebraska State Historical Society have finished checking human remains found in South Dakota and linked them to the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota. Starting July 17, 2025, these remains can be returned to the tribes. This process respects Native American history and follows important laws protecting their ancestors.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
15 Native American Ancestors Identified
Officials say human remains representing at least 15 individuals were removed from a site in Buffalo County, South Dakota. Those remains have been identified as Native American and are connected to the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.
Repatriation Authorized From July 17, 2025
The notice says the human remains may be returned to requestors on or after July 17, 2025. That date is when repatriation actions described in this notice may begin.
Who Can Request Repatriation
Requests for repatriation may be made by any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or by any lineal descendant or tribe/organization that shows by a preponderance of the evidence that they are affiliated. Joint repatriation requests count as a single request, and if competing requests are received the agencies must decide the most appropriate requestor before returning the remains.
No Funerary Objects or Treatment Substances
The notice states there are no associated funerary objects with the 15 individuals and that no known substances were used to treat the ancestors. That means only the human remains are involved in the repatriation described here.
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