The National NAGPRA Program will hold three consultation meetings to obtain oral and written recommendations on regulations to be drafted regarding the disposition of unclaimed Native American cultural items that are excavated or discovered on Federal or tribal lands after November 16, 1990 [43 CFR 10.7].
Dates
The three consultation meetings are scheduled for November 15-17, 2005:
Tribal consultation: November 15, 2005, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Albuquerque, NM. Authorized representatives of Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations and traditional Native American religious leaders are invited to participate in this meeting. Tribal representatives wishing to make a public presentation at this session should submit a request to do so by November 11, 2005, including evidence that you are authorized to speak on behalf of an Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization. This meeting supports the Secretary of the Interior’s administrative policy on tribal consultation by encouraging maximum direct participation of representatives of tribal governments on important Departmental issues and processes.
Museum consultation: November 15, 2005, 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Albuquerque, NM. Authorized representatives of museums and national museum and scientific organizations are invited to participate in this meeting. This meeting supports the
Secretary of the Interior’s responsibility to consult with museums and the scientific community in the development of these regulations. Museum representatives wishing to make a public presentation at this session should submit a request to do so by
November 11, 2005, including evidence that you are authorized to speak on behalf of a museum or national museum or scientific organization.
Review Committee consultation: November 16-17, 2005, Albuquerque, NM. This meeting supports the Department of the Interior’s responsibility to consult with the Review Committee regarding the development of regulations. Time will be scheduled during the Review Committee meeting for members of the public to provide oral and written recommendations. Members of the public wishing to make a public presentation at the Review Committee meeting should submit a request to do so by November 11, 2005.
Requests to make presentations at any of the sessions should be faxed to (202) 371-5197 by November 11, 2005.
Written comments may be mailed to Sherry Hutt, Manager, National NAGPRA Program, National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be faxed to Sherry Hutt at (202) 371-5197. Written comments should be postmarked or faxed no later than November 30, 2005.
Addresses
The consultation sessions will be held at the Cochiti/Taos Room, Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 Second Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102. A block of lodging rooms has been set-aside at a reduced rate at the Double Tree Hotel, which is adjacent to the Convention Center. Reservations for rooms in this block may be made by calling (800) 222-TREE and referencing the National NAGPRA Program. Reservations must be made by October 31, 2005, to guarantee the reduced rate available for persons attending this meeting.
Issues
Participants in the consultation meetings are requested to comment on the following issues:
• How should the regulations deal with the distinction between cultural items for which ownership or control has been ascertained pursuant to 43 CFR 10.6 (a) but the identified lineal descendant, Indian tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization has not claimed the cultural items and cultural items for which ownership or control cannot be ascertained pursuant to 43 CFR 10.6 (a)?
• How long may a cultural item removed from Federal land after November 16, 1990, remain in Federal agency possession before it is considered unclaimed?
• What are the appropriate dispositions for unclaimed cultural items?
• How should the regulations deal with the management, preservation, and use of unclaimed cultural items?
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra/
Upcoming events in Albuquerque:
NAGPRA training http://www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra/training/index.htm, November 14, 2005.
Consultation http://www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra/mandates/consultation_notice.pdf on unclaimed cultural items, November 15, 2005.
Review Committee meeting http://www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra/review/NM_meeting.pdf, November 16-17, 2005.