The decisions of the BGN are immediately official for federal use. However, if a Tribe, a member of the public or another interested party believes the replacement name is not the most appropriate choice, they are welcome to propose to the BGN that it be changed to a different name. Such proposals should be submitted to the BGN through the conventional process and the BGN’s usual review process will apply. For more information, see the BGN’s Guidance on Name Proposals website.
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How did the Secretary’s Order 3404 Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force reach a final decision on replacement names?
Secretary's Order 3404 outlined a process that concluded in 2022. The Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force reviewed all candidate names, including those generated by the U.S. Geological Survey, received by the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) as part of a formal proposal prior to January 24, 2022, or contributed through a public comment period (February 23 to April 25, 2022) or Tribal...
How did the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force choose replacement names under Secretary’s Order 3404?
The replacement names came from several sources. Initially, a list of five candidate names for each geographic feature was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey as directed by Secretary's Order 3404. These names were derived through a search of nearby named geographic features until at least five nearby names were available. The candidate replacement name replaced the derogatory modifier. For...
How were states involved in the process to respond to Secretary’s Order 3404?
Each state has a state naming authority responsible for management of geographic names within its boundaries. Several of these authorities initiated efforts to generate possible replacement names, or advised stakeholders to submit recommendations directly to the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force during the public comment period.
Do Secretary’s Orders 3404 and 3405 affect street names or street signs?
No. The names of cultural or man-made features, such as roads, streets, shopping centers, churches, schools, hospitals and airports are not under the Board on Geographic Names’ (BGN’s) purview. The naming and renaming of these entities are the responsibility of the agency or office that manages them.
Was Secretary’s Order 3404 limited to only those geographic features on federal lands?
The Board on Geographic Names (BGN) has purview over the names of geographic features on all lands, i.e., federal, state, Tribal, county, local and private land. This purview applies to all natural features (i.e., lakes, mountains, etc.), as well as canals, channels and reservoirs in the United States and its territories and outlying areas. Civil features (i.e., counties, minor civil divisions...
What is Secretary’s Order 3404 and the DOI Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force?
Secretary's Order (S.O.) 3404, issued on November 19, 2021, declared the word “sq___” to be derogatory and directed a series of Department of the Interior (DOI) actions to replace the word in all geographic names used by the federal government. S.O. 3404 established a 13-member Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force to reconcile the derogatory geographic feature names. It included...
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- FAQ
How did the Secretary’s Order 3404 Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force reach a final decision on replacement names?
Secretary's Order 3404 outlined a process that concluded in 2022. The Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force reviewed all candidate names, including those generated by the U.S. Geological Survey, received by the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) as part of a formal proposal prior to January 24, 2022, or contributed through a public comment period (February 23 to April 25, 2022) or Tribal...
How did the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force choose replacement names under Secretary’s Order 3404?
The replacement names came from several sources. Initially, a list of five candidate names for each geographic feature was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey as directed by Secretary's Order 3404. These names were derived through a search of nearby named geographic features until at least five nearby names were available. The candidate replacement name replaced the derogatory modifier. For...
How were states involved in the process to respond to Secretary’s Order 3404?
Each state has a state naming authority responsible for management of geographic names within its boundaries. Several of these authorities initiated efforts to generate possible replacement names, or advised stakeholders to submit recommendations directly to the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force during the public comment period.
Do Secretary’s Orders 3404 and 3405 affect street names or street signs?
No. The names of cultural or man-made features, such as roads, streets, shopping centers, churches, schools, hospitals and airports are not under the Board on Geographic Names’ (BGN’s) purview. The naming and renaming of these entities are the responsibility of the agency or office that manages them.
Was Secretary’s Order 3404 limited to only those geographic features on federal lands?
The Board on Geographic Names (BGN) has purview over the names of geographic features on all lands, i.e., federal, state, Tribal, county, local and private land. This purview applies to all natural features (i.e., lakes, mountains, etc.), as well as canals, channels and reservoirs in the United States and its territories and outlying areas. Civil features (i.e., counties, minor civil divisions...
What is Secretary’s Order 3404 and the DOI Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force?
Secretary's Order (S.O.) 3404, issued on November 19, 2021, declared the word “sq___” to be derogatory and directed a series of Department of the Interior (DOI) actions to replace the word in all geographic names used by the federal government. S.O. 3404 established a 13-member Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force to reconcile the derogatory geographic feature names. It included...