25 U.S.C. § 3056

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 3056 - Prohibition on disclosure

(a) Nondisclosure of information

(1) In general

The Secretary shall not disclose under section 552 of title 5 (commonly known as the "Freedom of Information Act"), information relating to-

(A) subject to subsection (b)(l),¹ human remains or cultural items reburied on National Forest System land under section 3053 of this title; or

(B) subject to subsection (b)(2), resources, cultural items, uses, or activities that-

(i) have a traditional and cultural purpose; and

(ii) are provided to the Secretary by an Indian or Indian tribe under an express expectation of confidentiality in the context of forest and rangeland research activities carried out under the authority of the Forest Service.

(2) Limitations on disclosure

Subject to subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall not be required to disclose information under section 552 of title 5 (commonly known as the "Freedom of Information Act"), concerning the identity, use, or specific location in the National Forest System of-

(A) a site or resource used for traditional and cultural purposes by an Indian tribe; or

(B) any cultural items not covered under section 3053 of this title.

(b) Limited release of information

(1) Reburial

The Secretary may disclose information described in subsection (a)(l)(A) ² if, before the disclosure, the Secretary-

(A) consults with an affected Indian tribe or lineal descendent;

(B) determines that disclosure of the information-

(i) would advance the purposes of this chapter; and

(ii) is necessary to protect the human remains or cultural items from harm, theft, or destruction; and

(C) attempts to mitigate any adverse impacts identified by an Indian tribe or lineal descendant that reasonably could be expected to result from disclosure of the information.

(2) Other information

The Secretary, in consultation with appropriate Indian tribes, may disclose information described under paragraph (1)(B) or (2) of subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that disclosure of the information to the public-

(A) would advance the purposes of this chapter;

(B) would not create an unreasonable risk of harm, theft, or destruction of the resource, site, or object, including individual organic or inorganic specimens; and

(C) would be consistent with other applicable laws.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "(b)(1),".

² So in original. Probably should be "(a)(1)(A)".

25 U.S.C. § 3056

Pub. L. 110-234, title VIII, §81068106,, 122 Stat. 1288; Pub. L. 110-246, §4(a), title VIII, §8106, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2050.

EDITORIAL NOTES

CODIFICATION Pub. L. 110-234 and Pub. L. 110-246 enacted identical sections. Pub. L. 110-234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110-246.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATESection and repeal of Pub. L. 110-234 by Pub. L. 110-246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110-234 see section 4 of Pub. L. 110-246 set out as a note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.

DEFINITION OF "SECRETARY""Secretary" as meaning the Secretary of Agriculture, see section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.

Indian tribe: The term "Indian tribe" means any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or other community the name of which is included on a list published by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to section 5131 of this title.
Indian: The term "Indian" means an individual who is a member of an Indian tribe.
human remains: The term "human remains" means the physical remains of the body of a person of Indian ancestry.
lineal descendant: The term "lineal descendant" means an individual that can trace, directly and without interruption, the ancestry of the individual through the traditional kinship system of an Indian tribe, or through the common law system of descent, to a known Indian, the human remains, funerary objects, or other sacred objects of whom are claimed by the individual.