(a) This section carries out section 3(b) of the Act (25 U.S.C. 3002(b)) regarding unclaimed cultural items.

(b) A Federal agency that has unclaimed cultural items (human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony) must:

(1) Submit a list of the items to the Manager, National NAGPRA Program that describes the general place of discovery or excavation, and removal; the nature of the unclaimed cultural items; and a summary of consultation efforts under §10.5 of this part. This list must be received by December 5, 2016, or within 1 year after the cultural items have become unclaimed under §10.2(h), whichever is later;

(2) Care for and manage unclaimed cultural items consistent with the regulations at 36 CFR part 79; and

(3) To the maximum extent feasible, consider and respect the traditions of any potential claimants listed in a notice under §10.6(c) concerning the unclaimed cultural items, including, but not limited to, traditions regarding housing, maintenance, and preservation.

(c) Subject to paragraph (e) of this section, a Federal agency that has unclaimed cultural items may, upon request, transfer them to an Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization that is not a potential claimant and agrees:

(1) To accept transfer; and

(2) To treat them according to the laws and customs of the transferee.

(d) Subject to paragraph (e) of this section, a Federal agency that has unclaimed human remains or funerary objects may reinter them according to applicable interment laws.

(e) Before a Federal agency makes a transfer or reinterment under paragraphs (c) or (d) of this section, it must:

(1) Submit the list required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section to the Manager, National NAGPRA Program; and

(2) Publish a notice of the proposed transfer or reinterment in a newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the unclaimed cultural items were excavated or discovered, and removed, and, if applicable, in a newspaper of general circulation in the area in which each potential claimant now resides.

(i) The notice must explain the nature of the unclaimed cultural items, summarize consultation efforts under §10.5, and solicit claims under the priority of ownership or control in section 3(a) of the Act (25 U.S.C. 3002(a)) and §10.6.

(ii) The notice must be published at least two times at least a week apart.

(iii) The transfer or reinterment may not take place until at least 30 days after publication of the second notice to allow time for any claimants under the priority of ownership or control in section 3(a) of the Act and §10.6 to come forward.

(3) Send to the Manager, National NAGPRA Program a copy of the notice published under paragraph (d)(2) of this section and information on when and in what newspaper(s) the notice was published. The National NAGPRA Program will post information from published notices on its Web site.

[80 FR 68471, Nov. 5, 2015]