December 14, 2022

Dear USET/USET SPF Family,

The Department of the Interior (DOI) will be hosting Tribal consultations on proposed revisions to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act regulations published in the Federal Register on October 18, 2022. Among the proposed changes to NAGPRA include providing a step-by-step roadmap for museums and federal agencies to comply with requirements within specific timelines to facilitate the required disposition and repatriation. Additionally, the proposed changes would describe the processes in accessible language with clear timelines and terms, reduce ambiguity, and improve efficiency in meeting the requirements, as well as emphasize consultation with Tribal Nations.

Details regarding the upcoming Tribal consultations are as follows—

• Date/Time: TOMORROW, December 15, 2022 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm ET
• Click Here to Register

• Date/Time: Monday, December 19, 2022 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm ET
• Click Here to Register

• Date/Time: Thursday, January 12, 2023 from 10:00am to 1:00pm ET
• In-Person at the BLM National Training Center, 9828 North 31^st Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85051

Additionally, the Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) is planning closed discussion sessions to prepare for these NAGPRA consultations as well as develop written comments in response to the proposed revisions. Details regarding these planned closed discussion sessions are as follows—

• Date/Time: TOMORROW, December 15, 2022 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm ET
• Click Here to Register

• Date/Time: Wednesday, December 21, 2022 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm ET
• Click Here to Register

• Date/Time: Friday, January 6, 2023 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm ET
• Click Here to Register
  
  

On September 30, 2021, USET SPF submitted comments to the Department of the Interior in response to proposed revisions to NAGPRA regulations that were initially initiated under the Trump Administration. USET SPF will review the NAGPRA proposed revisions published on October 18, 2022 and plans to submit comments.

Comments on the proposed revisions to NAGPRA are due Tuesday, January 17, 2023 by 11:59pm ET and must be submitted to regulations.gov under Docket No. NPS-2022-0004. Questions regarding the upcoming proposed revisions to NAGPRA Tribal consultations should be directed to Melanie O’Brien, Designated Federal Officer, National Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Program, National Park Service, at (202) 354-2201, or by email to nagpra_info@nps.gov.

For more information, please contact Brian Howard, USET SPF Senior Policy Analyst, at bhoward@usetinc.org.

Established in 2014, the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization advocating on behalf of thirty-three (33) federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET SPF is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the inherent sovereign rights and authorities of Tribal Nations and in assisting its membership in dealing effectively with public policy issues.