Environmental Planning Division Works with Native American Tribal Representatives to Help U.S. Air Force Meet Requirements of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

HGL has been contracted to develop Native American Comprehensive Agreements with Standard Operating Procedures at nine (9) different Air Force Space Surveillance Stations across the southwest United States. These properties are located in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.

The purpose of this work is to ensure that the U.S. Air Force complies with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990 and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) to establish a clear line of communication between the Air Force and Tribal nations surrounding these sites with regard to cultural artifacts, human remains, funerary objects, and sacred objects discovered inadvertently or during planned excavations. The details of the Agreements and Standard Operating Procedures will be discussed and identified during a face-to-face consultation meeting between Tribal representatives and the U.S. Air Force scheduled for early next year.

HGL’s successful execution of these Native American Comprehensive Agreements will put the Air Force in compliance with NAGPRA and NHPA.