Title 43
SECTION 10.3
10.3 Intentional archaeological excavations.
§ 10.3 Intentional archaeological excavations.(a) General. This section carries out section 3 (c) of the Act regarding the custody of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony that are excavated intentionally from Federal or tribal lands after November 16, 1990.
(b) Specific Requirements. These regulations permit the intentional excavation of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony from Federal or tribal lands only if:
(1) The objects are excavated or removed following the requirements of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) (16 U.S.C. 470aa et seq.) and its implementing regulations. Regarding private lands within the exterior boundaries of any Indian reservation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) will serve as the issuing agency for any permits required under the Act. For BIA procedures for obtaining such permits, see 25 CFR part 262 or contact the Deputy Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240. Regarding lands administered for the benefit of Native Hawaiians pursuant to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, and section 4 of Pub. L. 86-3, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will serve as the issuing agency for any permits required under the Act, with the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources acting in an advisory capacity for such issuance. Procedures and requirements for issuing permits will be consistent with those required by the ARPA and its implementing regulations;
(2) The objects are excavated after consultation with or, in the case of tribal lands, consent of, the appropriate Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization pursuant to § 10.5;
(3) The disposition of the objects is consistent with their custody as described in § 10.6; and
(4) Proof of the consultation or consent is shown to the Federal agency official or other agency official responsible for the issuance of the required permit.
(c) Procedures. (1) The Federal agency official must take reasonable steps to determine whether a planned activity may result in the excavation of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony from Federal lands. Prior to issuing any approvals or permits for activities, the Federal agency official must notify in writing the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that are likely to be culturally affiliated with any human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony that may be excavated. The Federal agency official must also notify any present-day Indian tribe which aboriginally occupied the area of the planned activity and any other Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that the Federal agency official reasonably believes are likely to have a cultural relationship to the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony that are expected to be found. The notice must be in writing and describe the planned activity, its general location, the basis upon which it was determined that human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony may be excavated, and, the basis for determining likely custody pursuant to § 10.6. The notice must also propose a time and place for meetings or consultations to further consider the activity, the Federal agency's proposed treatment of any human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony that may be excavated, and the proposed disposition of any excavated human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony. Written notification should be followed up by telephone contact if there is no response in 15 days. Consultation must be conducted pursuant to § 10.5.
(2) Following consultation, the Federal agency official must complete a written plan of action (described in § 10.5(e)) and execute the actions called for in it.
(3) If the planned activity is also subject to review under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), the Federal agency official should coordinate consultation and any subsequent agreement for compliance conducted under that Act with the requirements of § 10.3 (c)(2) and § 10.5. Compliance with these regulations does not relieve Federal agency officials of requirements to comply with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
(4) If an Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization receives notice of a planned activity or otherwise becomes aware of a planned activity that may result in the excavation of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony on tribal lands, the Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization may take appropriate steps to:
(i) Ensure that the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony are excavated or removed following § 10.3 (b), and
(ii) Make certain that the disposition of any human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony excavated intentionally or discovered inadvertently as a result of the planned activity are carried out following § 10.6.