Denver Agency Completes Review of Montana Remains
Published Date: 3/18/2026
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Denver has finished checking and identifying human remains and old belongings found in Montana. These remains belong to Native American tribes, and starting April 17, 2026, they can be returned to their rightful communities. This important step respects Native heritage and follows the law, with no costs or delays expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Three Native Remains Identified
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified the physical remains of three Native American individuals and 188 associated funerary objects (including beads, bracelets, rings, shells, a soil sample, and textile remnants). The Service determined these remains and objects are culturally affiliated with the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana.
Repatriation Available Starting April 17, 2026
Repatriation of the three human remains and 188 associated funerary objects may occur on or after April 17, 2026. Requests for repatriation must be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service representative listed in the notice.
Who Can Request Repatriation and How
The notice says repatriation requests may be submitted by any of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or by any lineal descendant or tribe/organization not identified that proves cultural affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence. If multiple competing requests are received, the USFWS, Mountain-Prairie Region will determine the most appropriate requestor; joint requests are treated as a single request.
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