25 USC § 3056 - Prohibition on disclosure

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t25/s3056"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "25 USC § 3056 - Prohibition on disclosure"
title_number: 25
title_name: "INDIANS"
section_number: "3056"
section_name: "Prohibition on disclosure"
chapter_number: 32
chapter_name: "CULTURAL AND HERITAGE COOPERATION AUTHORITY"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-07-14"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 110–234, title VIII, § 8106, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1288; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VIII, § 8106, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2050.)"
---


# § 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—

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

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

**(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**

**2** **Reburial** The Secretary may disclose information described in subsection (a)(l)(A) [^2] if, before the disclosure, the Secretary—

So in original. Probably should be “(a)(1)(A)”.

**(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.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 110–234, title VIII, § 8106, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1288; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VIII, § 8106, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2050.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

and  enacted identical sections.  was repealed by .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section and repeal of  by  effective , the date of enactment of , see , set out as a note under , Agriculture.

### Definition of “Secretary”

“Secretary” as meaning the Secretary of Agriculture, see , Agriculture.