# 2025-19968: Army Corps Hands Back Ancient Soil to Native Tribes

2025-19968, Notice of Intended Repatriation: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, San Francisco, CA, and University of California Riverside, Riverside, 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/2025-19968
- As of: 2026-06-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-19968
- Title: Notice of Intended Repatriation: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, San Francisco, CA, and University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Interior Department; National Park Service
- Citation: 90 FR 51405
- 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

Army Corps Hands Back Ancient Soil to Native Tribes

## Summary

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in San Francisco and the University of California, Riverside plan to return 33 cultural items, mostly soil and charcoal samples, to Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian groups. These items were collected during a dam project and will be repatriated starting December 17, 2025. This respectful return honors cultural connections and involves careful coordination between agencies and tribes.

## Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District and the University of California, Riverside 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 33 Cultural Items: benefit, medium. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (San Francisco) and the University of California, Riverside intend to return 33 cultural items — all soil and charcoal samples — to affiliated Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. The repatriation may occur on or after December 17, 2025, and the…
- How to Request Repatriation: benefit, low. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for these items to the named representatives; requests must show by a preponderance of the evidence that the requester is a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. Send requests to Dr. Stephanie Be…

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## Sources
- [2025-19968 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/17/2025-19968/notice-of-intended-repatriation-us-army-corps-of-engineers-san-francisco-district-san-francisco-ca)
- [2025-19968 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-11-17/pdf/2025-19968.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2025-19967, Notice of Intended Repatriation: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco Di…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-19967)
- [Next: 2025-19969, Notice of Inventory Completion: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-19969)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-19968 (as of 2026-06-08).