# 2026-22979: Alaska Notice Covers Return of Ancestral Remains from Aleutians

2026-22979, Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office, Anchorage, AK, is a Federal Register notice from Interior Department, National Park Service published 2026-11-12, effective 2026-12-14 (as of 2026-11-13).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22979
- As of: 2026-11-13
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-22979
- Title: Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office, Anchorage, AK
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Interior Department; National Park Service
- Citation: 91 FR 72896
- Published: 2026-11-12
- Effective: 2026-12-14
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-11-13

## In one line

Alaska Notice Covers Return of Ancestral Remains from Aleutians

## Summary

The Bureau of Land Management in Alaska has finished checking and identifying 35 ancient human remains found on Aleutian Islands. These remains are linked to Native tribes, and starting December 14, 2026, they can be returned to their rightful communities. This process respects Native heritage and follows important laws protecting Native American graves.

## Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office (BLM) has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

## Effects PRIA read

- 35 Ancestral Remains Identified: benefit, low. The Bureau of Land Management identified human remains representing at least 35 individuals of Native American ancestry excavated from sites on Akun and Akutan islands between 1970 and 1973. The BLM determined there is a cultural affiliation to the Native Village of Akutan, and these remains may be…
- Who Can Request Repatriation: benefit, low. You can request repatriation by sending a written request to the BLM contact if you are the Native Village of Akutan or another Indian Tribe/Native Hawaiian organization identified in the notice. Requests may also be submitted by a lineal descendant or a Tribe/organization not listed that shows by…
- Location and Condition of Remains: benefit, low. The remains are held at Arizona State University's Center for Archaeology and Society Repository and represent at least 35 individuals from four sites (Amatanan, Chulka, Saa, Siskena). No associated funerary objects are present and some remains show a clear coating that may be polyvinyl acetate.

## Related documents

- [2026-04606](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04606): Alaska; Hunting and Trapping in National Preserves, 2026-03-10
- [2026-22736](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22736): Agency Information Collection Activities; National Park Service Concessioner Services Customer Satisfaction Survey, 2026-11-09
- [2026-22670](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22670): National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions, 2026-11-06
- [2026-22422](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22422): National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions, 2026-11-03
- [2026-22325](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22325): Notice of Intent To Extend and Continue Concession Contracts and Award a Temporary Concession Contract, 2026-11-02
- [2026-21222](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-21222): Denali National Park and Preserve; Vehicle Use, 2026-10-16

## Sources
- [2026-22979 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/11/12/2026-22979/notice-of-inventory-completion-us-department-of-the-interior-bureau-of-land-management-alaska-state)
- [2026-22979 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-11-12/pdf/2026-22979.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-22978, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Gregg Museum of Art & Design, Raleigh, NC](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22978)
- [Next: 2026-22980, Notice of Inventory Completion: Antelope Valley College, Lancaster, CA](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22980)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22979 (as of 2026-11-13).