[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17462-17463]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8627]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Chugach National 
Forest, Anchorage, AK

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, 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), 
of the intent to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Chugach National 
Forest, Anchorage, AK, that meet the definition of ``unassociated 
funerary objects'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    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 the cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations within this notice.
    The 33 cultural items are a dehydrated duck head, 2 pieces of 
damask fabric, 6 pieces of mammal leather, 3 sea mammal bones, and 21 
hand-hewn wooden planks.
    In 1980, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
and U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cooperative 
Park Studies Unit archeologists conducted a survey of the Palutat Cave 
site, Prince William Sound, AK. The human remains that were removed 
from burials during the survey were reinterred near the original burial 
location in 1990 through a cooperative effort of the Forest Service, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Chugach Alaska Corporation. Cultural 
items that were collected during the survey in 1980 and are associated 
with these burials, but were not reinterred in 1990, are a dehydrated 
duck head, 2 pieces of damask fabric, 6 pieces of mammal leather, 3 sea 
mammal bones, and 21 hand-hewn wooden planks.
    Knowledge of Palutat Cave derives from the work of Edmond Meany, 
who visited the site in 1902, and especially the work of Frederica de 
Laguna, whose investigations in 1933 are the primary source of 
archeological information about the site. Based on archeological 
evidence and on the large number of human remains found there, Palutat 
Cave is identified as a significant prehistoric Chugach/Sugpiaq site. 
Chugach National Forest is not in possession or control of human 
remains from this burial site.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of Chugach 
National Forest have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(2)(ii), these 33 cultural items 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 and are believed, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, to have been removed from specific 
burial sites of Native American individuals. Officials of Chugach 
National Forest also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), 
there is a relationship of shared group identity that can reasonably be 
traced between these unassociated funerary objects and the Native 
Village of Chenega and Native Village of Tatitlek, which are 
represented by Chugach Alaska Corporation.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Chugach Alaska 
Corporation, Chenega Corporation, Native Village of Chenega, Tatitlek 
Corporation, Native Village of Tatitlek, English Bay Corporation, 
Native Village of Nanwalek, Port Graham Corporation, Native Village of 
Port Graham, Eyak Corporation, and Native Village of Eyak. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Linda Finn Yarborough, Forest Archeologist, Chugach National 
Forest, 3301 C Street,

[[Page 17463]]

Suite 300, Anchorage, AK 99503, telephone (907) 743-9511, facsimile 
(907) 743-9477, before May 10, 2002. Repatriation of these unassociated 
funerary objects to the Chugach Alaska Corporation may begin after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: February 21, 2002.
Robert Stearns,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 02-8627 Filed 4-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S