Idaho DOE Prepares Funerary Objects for Tribal Return
Published Date: 7/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Department of Energy in Idaho has finished checking and listing 32 Native American funerary objects found near human remains on their land. These items, like obsidian tools and arrow shafts, are linked to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and will be returned starting August 21, 2026. This respectful step honors Native heritage and follows important laws protecting cultural items.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation of 32 Funerary Objects
If you are a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes or a lineal descendant, the Department of Energy–Idaho has determined 32 associated funerary objects (28 black obsidian biface tools and 4 arrow shafts) are affiliated with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and may be repatriated starting on or after August 21, 2026. The objects were collected in 1970, 2012, and 2014 and will be returned under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
Who Can Request Repatriation
Repatriation requests for the 32 objects may be submitted by any of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or by any lineal descendant or tribe not listed that shows by a preponderance of the evidence that they are affiliated. If competing requests are received, DOE‑ID must determine the most appropriate requestor; joint requests count as a single request.
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