North Dakota Forests to Return Native Remains and Sacred Artifacts
Published Date: 12/19/2025
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Forest Service in Dakota Prairie Grasslands plans to return human remains and cultural items found on federal or tribal lands to the rightful Native American groups or descendants. If no one claims them by December 21, 2026, these items will be considered unclaimed and handled accordingly starting January 20, 2026. This affects tribes and descendants connected to these important cultural objects and remains.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Claim Deadline and Repatriation Timeline
If you are a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization with a claim, you must send a written claim for these human remains or cultural items by December 21, 2026. Disposition may occur on or after January 20, 2026, and items with no claim by December 21, 2026, will be considered unclaimed and handled accordingly.
Named Priority Claimants for Items
The Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota, are identified as having priority for disposition of the two sets of human remains and the one associated funerary object (a bone awl) described in this notice. The remains were found July 31, 2022 (Little Missouri River, Billings County, ND) and October 19, 2024 (erosion ravine, McKenzie County, ND).
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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