Texas Forest Service to Dispose of Unclaimed Native Remains
Published Date: 9/30/2026
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Forest Service in Texas plans to return human remains found in 2011 to the rightful Native American descendants or tribes by October 30, 2026. If no one claims them by September 30, 2027, the remains will be considered unclaimed. This affects Native communities connected to the area and ensures respectful handling of these historical remains.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Priority Repatriation to Two Tribes
If you are a member or descendant of the Alabama‑Coushatta Tribe of Texas or the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, those tribes have priority for disposition of the human remains described in this notice. The remains have been determined to be the physical remains of one Native American individual and disposition may occur on or after October 30, 2026.
Claim Deadline — Unclaimed Status After 2027-09-30
If no written claim for disposition is received by September 30, 2027, the human remains described in this notice will become unclaimed human remains. Disposition may occur on or after October 30, 2026, so claims must be filed before September 30, 2027 to avoid loss of priority.
Who May File a Claim for Disposition
You may submit a written claim for disposition if you are a lineal descendant, an Indian Tribe, or a Native Hawaiian organization identified in the notice, or if you can show you have priority even if not named. Claims for joint disposition count as a single claim; competing claims must be resolved by the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas before disposition.
Remains Identified; No Associated Funerary Objects
The notice states the human remains represent at least one Native American individual, were dated at about 150 years old, and no associated funerary objects are present. The remains were confiscated May 15, 2011, sent to the University of North Texas, and returned to the Forest Service in November 2011.
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