# 2025-19962: Sonoma State Ships Back Tribal Tools After Decades in Storage

2025-19962, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, is a Federal Register notice from Interior Department, National Park Service published 2025-11-17, effective 2025-12-17 (as of 2026-06-08).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-19962
- As of: 2026-06-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-19962
- Title: Notice of Intended Repatriation: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Interior Department; National Park Service
- Citation: 90 FR 51392
- Published: 2025-11-17
- Effective: 2025-12-17
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-08

## In one line

Sonoma State Ships Back Tribal Tools After Decades in Storage

## Summary

Sonoma State University plans to return 207 Native American cultural items, like obsidian tools, to the tribes they belong to starting December 17, 2025. These items were collected from several sites in Sonoma County and have been kept at the university since the late 1970s and early 1980s. This repatriation respects Native American heritage and follows important federal laws, with no costs mentioned for the public.

## Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Sonoma State University intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

## Effects PRIA read

- Return of 207 Native American Items: benefit, low. Sonoma State University intends to return 207 Native American cultural items (including obsidian tools, flakes, chert, groundstone tools, faunal bone, and historic material) to affiliated tribes. The items were collected from several Sonoma County sites between the 1970s and 1980s and have been hou…
- Who Can Request Repatriation and How: benefit, low. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for repatriation and must show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. If competing requests are received, Sonoma State University must determine…

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## Sources
- [2025-19962 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/17/2025-19962/notice-of-intended-repatriation-sonoma-state-university-rohnert-park-ca)
- [2025-19962 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-11-17/pdf/2025-19962.pdf)

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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-19962 (as of 2026-06-08).