(a) General. This section carries out section 3 (d) of the Act regarding the custody of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony that are discovered inadvertently on Federal or tribal lands after November 16, 1990.

(b) Discovery. Any person who knows or has reason to know that he or she has discovered inadvertently human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony on Federal or tribal lands after November 16, 1990, must provide immediate telephone notification of the inadvertent discovery, with written confirmation, to the responsible Federal agency official with respect to Federal lands, and, with respect to tribal lands, to the responsible Indian tribe official. The requirements of these regulations regarding inadvertent discoveries apply whether or not an inadvertent discovery is duly reported. If written confirmation is provided by certified mail, the return receipt constitutes evidence of the receipt of the written notification by the Federal agency official or Indian tribe official.

(c) Ceasing activity. If the inadvertent discovery occurred in connection with an on-going activity on Federal or tribal lands, the person, in addition to providing the notice described above, must stop the activity in the area of the inadvertent discovery and make a reasonable effort to protect the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony discovered inadvertently.

(d) Federal lands.

(1) As soon as possible, but no later than three (3) working days after receipt of the written confirmation of notification with respect to Federal lands described in §10.4 (b), the responsible Federal agency official must:

(i) Certify receipt of the notification;

(ii) Take immediate steps, if necessary, to further secure and protect inadvertently discovered human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony, including, as appropriate, stabilization or covering;

(iii) Notify any known lineal descendants of a deceased Native American individual whose human remains and associated funerary objects were discovered of such discovery, and, with respect to a discovery of human remains, associated funerary objects, unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony, notify the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations likely to be culturally affiliated with the cultural items, the Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization that aboriginally occupied the area, and any other Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization known to have a cultural relationship to the cultural items. This notification must be by telephone with written confirmation and must include information about the kinds of human remains, associated funerary objects, unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony, their condition, and the circumstances of their discovery;

(iv) Initiate consultation on the inadvertent discovery pursuant to §10.5;

(v) If the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony must be excavated or removed, follow the requirements and procedures in §10.3 (b) of these regulations; and

(vi) Ensure that disposition of all inadvertently discovered human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony is carried out following §10.6.

(2) Resumption of activity. The activity that resulted in the inadvertent discovery may resume thirty (30) days after certification by the notified Federal agency of receipt of the written confirmation of notification of inadvertent discovery if the resumption of the activity is otherwise lawful. The activity may also resume, if otherwise lawful, at any time that a written, binding agreement is executed between the Federal agency and the affiliated Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that adopt a recovery plan for the excavation or removal of the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony following §10.3 (b)(1) of these regulations. The disposition of all human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony must be carried out following §10.6.

(e) Tribal lands.

(1) As soon as possible, but no later than three (3) working days after receipt of the written confirmation of notification with respect to Tribal lands described in §10.4 (b), the responsible Indian tribe official may:

(i) Certify receipt of the notification;

(ii) Take immediate steps, if necessary, to further secure and protect inadvertently discovered human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony, including, as appropriate, stabilization or covering;

(iii) If the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony must be excavated or removed, follow the requirements and procedures in §10.3 (b) of these regulations; and

(iv) Ensure that disposition of all inadvertently discovered human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony is carried out following §10.6.

(2) Resumption of Activity. The activity that resulted in the inadvertent discovery may resume if otherwise lawful after thirty (30) days of the certification of the receipt of notification by the Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

(f) Federal agency officials. Federal agency officials should coordinate their responsibilities under this section with their emergency discovery responsibilities under section 106 of the National Historical Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 (f) et seq.), 36 CFR 800.11 or section 3 (a) of the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 469 (a-c)). Compliance with these regulations does not relieve Federal agency officials of the requirement to comply with section 106 of the National Historical Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 (f) et seq.), 36 CFR 800.11 or section 3 (a) of the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 469 (a-c)).

(g) Notification requirement in authorizations. All Federal authorizations to carry out land use activities on Federal lands or tribal lands, including all leases and permits, must include a requirement for the holder of the authorization to notify the appropriate Federal or tribal official immediately upon the discovery of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony pursuant to §10.4 (b) of these regulations.

[60 FR 62158, Dec. 4, 1995, as amended at 62 FR 41293, Aug. 1, 1997; 78 FR 27082, May 9, 2013]