[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 47 (Friday, March 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14203-14204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5939]


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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 the U.S. 
Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Richland, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

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 the U.S. Department of Energy, 
Richland Operations Office, Richland, WA.
    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 the U.S. 
Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office professional staff and 
contract specialists in archeology, ethnography, and human osteology, 
in consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes and 
Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, 
Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, 
Oregon; the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and the Wanapum Band, a non-
Federally recognized Indian group.
    In 1968, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from site 45-BN-128, Benton County, WA, by Dr. David Rice, Washington 
State University, Pullman, WA, during an archeological survey. No known 
individual was identified. The seven associated funerary objects are 
fragments of dentalium shells, one of which exhibits intricately etched 
designs.
    Site 45-BN-128 is a burial site located on an island about 4 miles 
downriver from Tacht, a major Native American village. Tacht, located 
near the East White Bluffs townsite, was occupied until 1943 by members 
of the Wanapum Band, as well as members of other tribes whose 
descendants now reside on the Yakama, Umatilla, Colville and Nez Perce 
reservations. Artifacts observed at the burial site included chipped 
stone tools, a bone needle, glass trade beads, and shell beads.
    Based on skeletal morphology, the archeological context, the 
condition of the human remains, and the associated funerary objects, 
these human remains have been identified as Native American dating 
prior to European contact. Historic documents, ethnographic sources, 
and oral history indicate that the Wanapum Band, also known as the 
Priest Rapids Indians, occupied this section of the Columbia River 
since precontact times. The treaties of 1855 and other historic 
documents, ethnographic sources, and oral history identify site 45-BN-
128 as located on the ceded lands boundary between the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon, and the Confederated Tribes 
and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, 
Washington, in an area routinely visited by bands associated with both 
groups. Bands associated with the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho and the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington, are also 
known to have used the area routinely.
    In 1974-75, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from Taks'sah' (45-BN-157), Benton County, WA, during 
legally-authorized archeological excavations conducted by the Mid-
Columbia Archaeological Society under the direction of Dr. David Rice, 
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. The remains were transferred to the 
U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office in 1994. No known 
individual was identified. The eight associated funerary objects are 
stone flakes.
    Taks'sah', also known as Jaeger's Island, was a principle Wanapum 
sedentary village that was occupied until 1943. Based on skeletal 
morphology, the archeological context, the condition of the human 
remains, and the associated funerary objects, these human remains have 
been identified as Native American dating prior to European contact. 
Historic documents, ethnographic sources, and oral history indicate 
that the Wanapum Band occupied this section of the Columbia River since 
precontact times. The treaties of 1855 and other historic documents, 
ethnographic sources, and oral history identify site 45-BN-157 as 
located within the ceded lands of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of 
the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, Washington, in an 
area routinely visited by bands associated with this tribe. Bands 
associated with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, 
Oregon; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington; and the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho are also known to have 
used the area routinely.
    In 1987, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from site 45-BN-163, Benton County, WA, during archeological surface 
collection by Hanford Cultural Resources Laboratory staff. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Site 45-BN-163 is a housepit containing materials typically 
associated with the late precontact settlement of the area, including 
fire-cracked rock, cobble tools, notched pebble sinkers, corner-notched 
projectile points, flakes, and shell. These remains were recovered in 
an area traditionally associated with the Wanapum Band and within the 
ceded lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, 
Oregon. Bands associated with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the 
Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, Washington; the Nez 
Perce Tribe of Idaho; and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington, are also known to have used this area 
routinely.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the U.S. 
Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above 
represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland 
Operations Office also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(2), the 15 objects listed above are reasonably

[[Page 14204]]

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 U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations 
Office 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 Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian 
Nation of the Yakama Reservation, Washington; the Confederated Tribes 
of the Colville Reservation, Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and the 
Wanapum Band, a non-Federally recognized Indian group.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Confederated Tribes 
and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, 
Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, 
Oregon; the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and the Wanapum Band. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Dee W. Lloyd, Site Preservation Officer, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, P.O. Box 550, 
Richland, Washington 99352, telephone (509) 372-2299, before April 9, 
2001. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
to the affiliated tribes may begin after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.

    Dated: February 20, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-5939 Filed 3-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F