[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 199 (Friday, October 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60974-60975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26346]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of Mendocino National 
Forest, USDA-Forest Service, Willows, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of Mendocino National Forest, USDA-
Forest Service, Willows, CA
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Mendocino 
National Forest professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; Enterprise 
Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; Mechoopda Indian Tribe of 
Chico Rancheria, California; Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of 
California; and Round Valley Indian Tribes of the Round Valley 
Reservation, California.
    Between 1976 and 1977, human remains representing four individuals 
were excavated from site CA-BUT-296 in Butte County, CA by field crews 
from California State University, Chico. The university was contracted 
by the Mendocino National Forest in 1976 after accidentally discovering 
the remains during mechanical trenching for an irrigation pipeline at a 
tree nursery. No

[[Page 60975]]

known individuals were identified. The 66 associated funerary objects 
include a stone bead, bear claws, bone awls or hairpins, a bone tube 
fragment, a perforated bone artifact fragment, a quartz crystal, and 
flaked stone artifacts.
    Based on the condition of the remains and material culture found 
with the burials, these individuals have been identified as Native 
American. The remains were determined to date to the late prehistoric 
period. Ethnographic, historical, and geographic information 
establishes that the Konkow Maidu people were occupants of the region 
at the time of contact and European colonization. Oral history of the 
Maidu Indians also indicates they were in the region prior to contact 
and European colonization.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the 
Mendocino National Forest, USDA-Forest Service have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above 
represent the physical remains of four individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Mendocino National Forest, USDA-Forest 
Service also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 
66 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 Mendocino 
National Forest, USDA-Forest Service have determined that, pursuant to 
43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship of shared group identity that 
can be reasonably traced between these Native American human remains 
and associated funerary objects and the Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu 
Indians of California; Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of 
California; Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California; 
Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; and Round Valley 
Indian Tribe of the Round Valley Reservation, California.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Berry Creek Rancheria 
of Maidu Indians of California; Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians 
of California; Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California; 
Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; and Round Valley 
Indian Tribe of the Round Valley Reservation, California. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact James D. Fenwood, Forest Supervisor, Mendocino 
National Forest, 825 North Humboldt Avenue, Willows, CA, telephone 
(530) 934-3316, before November 13, 2000. Repatriation of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Mechoopda Indian Tribe 
of Chico Rancheria, California may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: October 5, 2000.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 00-26346 Filed 10-12-00; 8:45 am]
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