# 2026-16479: Forest Service Dumps 25,000 Ancient Artifacts If Unclaimed by Tribes

2026-16479, Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest, Cleveland, TN, is a Federal Register notice from Interior Department, National Park Service published 2026-08-13, effective 2026-09-14 (as of 2026-08-20).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16479
- As of: 2026-08-20
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-16479
- Title: Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest, Cleveland, TN
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Interior Department; National Park Service
- Citation: 91 FR 52348
- Published: 2026-08-13
- Effective: 2026-09-14
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-08-20

## In one line

Forest Service Dumps 25,000 Ancient Artifacts If Unclaimed by Tribes

## Summary

The Cherokee National Forest plans to return over 25,000 ancient items like pottery and tools found in Tennessee to Native American tribes or descendants starting September 14, 2026. If no one claims them by August 13, 2027, these cultural treasures will be considered unclaimed. This move respects Native American heritage and follows important laws protecting their history.

## Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest intends to carry out the disposition of unassociated funerary objects removed from Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this notice.

## Effects PRIA read

- Return of 25,150 Cultural Items: benefit, medium. Starting September 14, 2026, the Cherokee National Forest intends to return 25,150 unassociated funerary objects (including 17,405 prehistoric ceramics, 7,492 lithic artifacts, one lot of 1,167.720 kg of burned rocks, animal bone and shell, charcoal, soils, and historic artifacts) to lineal descend…
- Priority Given to Three Cherokee Tribes: benefit, low. The Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma are identified as having priority for disposition of the cultural items described in this notice.
- Claim Deadline and Unclaimed Status: cost, medium. Written claims for disposition must be received by August 13, 2027, sent to the USDA Forest Service official listed in the notice; if no claim is received by that date the cultural items will become unclaimed cultural items. Disposition may occur on or after September 14, 2026, and competing claims…

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## Sources
- [2026-16479 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/13/2026-16479/notice-of-intended-disposition-us-department-of-agriculture-forest-service-cherokee-national-forest)
- [2026-16479 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-13/pdf/2026-16479.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-16478, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Beloit College, Logan Museum of Anthropology,…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16478)
- [Next: 2026-16480, Notice of Inventory Completion: The University of Tennessee, Department of Anth…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16480)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16479 (as of 2026-08-20).