[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)] [Notices] [Page 32857] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-16091] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains and Associated Funerary Objects from Nye County, NV, in the Control of the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy, Las Vegas, NV AGENCY: National Park Service ACTION: Notice ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d), of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects in the control of the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy, Las Vegas, NV. A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by DOE Nevada Test Site professional staff and Nevada State Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Benton Paiute Tribe, Big Pine Paiute Tribe, Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, the Ely Shoshone Tribe, the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe. The Pahrump Paiute Indian Tribe, the Las Vegas Indian Center and Owens Valley Board of Trustees, three non-Federally recognized Native American groups, were also consulted. In 1964, human remains representing one individual was donated to the Nevada State Museum by Frederick C. Worman, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. These human remains were recovered from the Pahute Mesa area within the Nevada Test Site by workers at the site and turned over to the Nye County Sheriff's office. No known individuals were identified. The 1,318 associated funerary objects include basketry fragments, a chert flake, glass seed beads, two quartz crystals, and unworked bone. Archeological surveys on and around Pahute Mesa have identified numerous archeological sites reflecting activities of Shoshone/Paiute family groups. Additional ethnographic work and archeological reconstructions have shown at least eight Shoshone/Paiute family groups residing in the Pahute Mesa region during the late nineteenth century. The basketry fragments found with the burials are consistent with other Shoshone/Paiute basketry found in other archeological sites in the Pahute Mesa region. Consultation with traditional religious leaders and tribal representatives confirms the talus burials are a traditional manner of internment. Consultation evidence presented by traditional religious leaders and tribal representatives also indicates the funerary objects are consistent with traditional burial practices. Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy have also determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 1,318 objects listed above are reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials of the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared group identity which can be reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and associated funerary objects and the Benton Paiute Tribe, Big Pine Paiute Tribe, Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, the Ely Shoshone Tribe, the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe. This notice has been sent to officials of the Benton Paiute Tribe, Big Pine Paiute Tribe, Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, the Ely Shoshone Tribe, the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe; and the Pahrump Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Indian Center, and Owens Valley Board of Trustees, three Native American groups. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary objects should contact Robert C. Furlow, NAGPRA Compliance Program Manager, Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office, P.O. Box 98518, Las Vegas, NV 89193-8518; telephone: (702) 295-0845, before July 25, 1996. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Benton Paiute Tribe, Big Pine Paiute Tribe, Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, the Ely Shoshone Tribe, the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe may begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward. Dated: June 19, 1996. Francis P. McManamon, Departmental Consulting Archeologist, Chief, Archeology and Ethnography Program. [FR Doc. 96-16091 Filed 6-24-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-70-F