[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 157 (Thursday, August 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48623-48624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20759]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. 
Army, Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Fort Polk, LA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains in the possession of the 
U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army, Joint Readiness Training Center 
and Fort Polk, Fort Polk, LA. The human remains were removed from a 
site on the Fort Polk Military Reservation in Sabine Parish, LA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
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. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations within this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by U.S. 
Department of Defense, U.S. Army professional staff, including 
individuals from the Environmental Center; U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, St. Louis District; and Center of Engineering and Research 
Laboratory, in consultation with representatives of the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma;

[[Page 48624]]

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Coushatta 
Tribe of Louisiana; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; 
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama; and Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana.
    The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk has determined 
that the human remains reported in this notice cannot be culturally 
affiliated with an Indian tribe as defined in NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(7), and are considered culturally unidentifiable. Until final 
promulgation of Section 10.11 of NAGPRA regulations, and according to 
its charter, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation 
Review Committee is responsible for recommending to the Secretary of 
the Interior specific actions for the disposition of culturally 
unidentifiable human remains. In December 2001, the Joint Readiness 
Training Center and Fort Polk proposed to repatriate one set of 
culturally unidentifiable human remains to the Caddo Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma. The proposal was considered by the Review Committee at its 
May 31-June 2, 2002, meeting.
    An August 30, 2002, letter from the National Park Service to the 
Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, conveyed the Review 
Committee's recommendation that disposition of the human remains to the 
Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma may proceed following publication of a 
notice of inventory completion in the Federal Register. This notice 
fulfills that requirement.
    In 1977 or 1978, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the Eagle Hill Training Airstrip site, 
Fort Polk Military Reservation, Sabine Parish, LA. The Airstrip site 
was excavated under the direction of Dr. Frank Servello of the 
University of Southwestern Louisiana. The human remains, consisting of 
one tooth, were found in a spoils pile adjacent to the Airstrip site. 
Dr. Robert Corruccini, professor of paleontological anthropology at 
Southern Illinois University, identified the tooth as probably being 
from a prehistoric Native American. No known individual was identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    Officials of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Joint Readiness Training 
Center and Fort Polk also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (2), there is no relationship of shared group identity that can 
reasonably be traced between the Native American human remains and any 
present-day Indian tribe or group. In accordance with the 
recommendations of the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Review Committee, the disposition of the Native American 
human remains will be to the Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact James D. 
Grafton, Fort Polk Cultural Resources Management Program, 1645 23rd 
Street, Building 2515, Fort Polk, LA 71459, telephone (337) 531-6011, 
before September 15, 2003. Repatriation of the human remains to the 
Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk is responsible 
for notifying the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte 
Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Choctaw Nation 
of Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Coushatta Tribe of 
Louisiana; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; Mississippi Band of 
Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; 
and Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: July 17, 2003.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources.
[FR Doc. 03-20759 Filed 8-13-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S