Chapter 4 - Tribal Consultation (2025-2026)
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Cultural Studies Office (CSO) is in the process of drafting a new chapter for the Standard Environmental Reference (SER) Volume 2: Chapter 4 Archaeological Collections Management and Repatriation (Chapter 4). This chapter will replace the previous Chapter 4 and will address Caltrans’ procedures for managing archaeological materials recovered during Caltrans projects and the repatriation processes under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (CalNAGPRA). The SER acts as Caltrans’ statewide guidance to the 12 Caltrans Districts.
As a part of Chapter 4’s development, Caltrans is conducting tribal consultation. The goal of tribal consultation is to ensure that tribal perspectives are appropriately incorporated into Caltrans’ guidance on the management of archaeological collections and the respectful return of ancestors and cultural items in compliance with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA.
The development of draft Chapter 4 was discussed with tribal representatives at the Caltrans Cultural Studies Subcommittee (CSS) meetings on March 7, 2025, and July 24, 2025. Utilizing Caltrans’ contact list of over 500 tribal representatives from 190 California Indian Tribes (Tribes), between November 18 and December 19, 2025, Caltrans requested comments from tribes on the draft Tribal Consultation Plan. All comment received were incorporated into the Plan, which was finalized and circulated with draft Chapter 4 on January 5, 2026. Four virtual engagement sessions were held with tribal representatives, as well as several individual meetings upon request, with comments being requested by April 3, 2026.
Below is the revised Chapter 4, a redline version of Chapter 4, and a summary of the tribal comments received and Caltrans’ responses. The revised draft is currently undergoing additional tribal consultation.
Tribal representatives can submit comments on draft Chapter 4 to NACS.Info@dot.ca.gov.
Revised SER Volume 2 Chapter 4 (coming soon)
Revised SER Volume 2 Chapter 4 Redline Version (coming soon)
Summary of Tribal Review Comments and Caltrans Responses (PDF)