<div dir="ltr"><div>You and your institution may wish to comment on the Information Collection Request (ICR) entitled " Documenting, Managing and Preserving DOI Museum Property Housed in Non-Federal Repositories" (comments due 5 March). <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.reginfo.gov_public_do_PRAViewICR-3Fref-5Fnbr-3D201412-2D1084-2D001&d=AwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=VPze_41aJAtrjeOqnsDM4apkj2G-wDrzgjYYhIDs060&s=If15E2Iz0v9BAifuvEo9moFc10t2XcmDt3sLN3htroo&e=">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201412-1084-001</a> <br><br>We are likely to disagree with what a Federal collection/specimen really is. It is a change from our historic understanding here at our institution. Here at UAM, DOI has historically claimed archaeological, paleontological, and NPS material. It is now extended to include all specimens from all DOI-managed lands (see excerpt below). We're opposing the ICR based on scope (unresolved agreement on what a Federal collection is), time required if we do agree on their scope, and reporting redundancy if we agree on maintaining current agreements.<br><br>From Supporting Statement A: <br><br>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">All museum collections recovered from public
lands managed by the Department remain Federal property—regardless of where
housed or collected by whom—and must be documented in the Interior Collection
Management System (ICMS) museum catalog database.<span> </span>Permitees conducting authorized scientific
research and authorized individuals performing compliance activities on
DOI-managed lands must ensure that any retained specimens or objects collected
during a project are: 1) accessioned and cataloged in ICMS according to DOI
standards; and 2) housed in an appropriate museum repository that meets DOI
museum standards.<span> </span>These requirements ensure
the collections’ long-term preservation, protection, and accessibility for
research access and use.<span> </span>The majority of
current scientific research projects meet these criteria.<span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Many of the research and compliance projects
conducted prior to the 1980s, however, were undertaken in absence of formal research
permits or other documentation.<span>
</span>Likewise, there oftentimes were no loan or repository agreements, receipts
for property, memoranda of agreement, instruments of conveyance, or other standard
museum documentation prepared regarding any objects or specimens collected
during the project.<span> </span>Such documentation
is vital to ensure that all parties are aware of: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.75in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">1) <span> </span>Permanent Federal ownership of the collections,
as established in law by the Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities
of 1906 (Antiquities Act) (16 USC 431-433); National Park Service Organic Act
of 1916 (16 USC 1 et. seq.); Historic Sites Act of 1935 (16 USC 461-467); Management
of Museum Properties Act of 1955, as amended (16 USC 18f); Archaeological
Resources Protection Act of 1979, as amended (16 USC 470aa-mm); Paleontological
Resources Preservation Act (16 USC 470aaa-470aaa–11); and other legislation;
and </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.75in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">2) <span> </span>The mandated documentation and preservation
responsibilities of the researcher, his/her institution, and the repository
where the collections were ultimately housed.<span>
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In numerous instances, Federal collections
were subsequently accessioned into the permanent collections of the non-Federal
repositories; consequently, many of those institutions erroneously presumed ownership
rights.</span></p><div class=""><div id=":1yf" class="" tabindex="0"><img class="" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif"></div></div><br clear="all"></div>Regards to all,<br><div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">Kevin Winker<br>University of Alaska Museum<br>907 Yukon Drive<br>Fairbanks, AK 99775<br><div style="padding:0px;margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;overflow:hidden;word-wrap:break-word;color:black;font-size:10px;text-align:left;line-height:130%"></div></div>
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