[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 31509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10799]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Inyo National Forest, Bishop, CA

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 Agriculture, Forest Service, Inyo National Forest, 
Bishop, CA. The human remains were removed from Inyo National Forest, 
Mono County, CA.
    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 in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Inyo 
National Forest professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of the Mono Lake Indian Community (a nonfederally recognized Indian 
group); Mono Lake Kuzedikaa Indian Cultural Preservation Foundation (a 
nonfederally recognized Indian group); Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the 
Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony, California; and Utu Utu Gwaitu 
Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation, California.
    In 1953 and 1954, human remains representing a minimum of two 
individuals were removed from site CA-Mno-26, Mono County, CA, by Mr. 
Harmon E. Nolan. Mr. Nolan discovered the human remains while working a 
mining claim in Inyo National Forest. Mr. Nolan donated the human 
remains to the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum in 1954. The Phoebe A. Hearst 
Museum transferred physical custody of the human remains to the Inyo 
National Forest in 2004. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The human remains were found interred under flat stones, and one 
was flexed. Both circumstances indicate that these were aboriginal 
burials, and that the human remains are Native American in origin. 
Because of the acidic nature of the soil due to a volcanic origin and 
colonization by coniferous forest, there is little organic 
preservation. The fact that the human remains were intact indicates 
that deposition was during the late Prehistoric or the Historic period, 
suggesting an association of the human remains with the 
ethnographically known peoples of this area.
    Long Valley is an area ethnographically affiliated with both the 
Owens Valley and Northern Paiute tribes. Site CA-Mno-26 falls within 
the traditional aboriginal territory claimed by the Utu Utu Gwaitu 
Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation, California.
    Officials of the Inyo National Forest have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9- 0), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Inyo National Forest also have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared 
group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the 
Benton Paiute Reservation, California.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Linda Reynolds, Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu Lane, Bishop, CA 93514, 
telephone (760) 873-2423 before July 1, 2005. Repatriation of the human 
remains to the Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute 
Reservation, California may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Inyo National Forest is responsible for notifying the Mono Lake 
Indian Community (a nonfederally recognized Indian group); Mono Lake 
Kuzedikaa Indian Cultural Preservation Foundation (a nonfederally 
recognized Indian group); Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop 
Community of the Bishop Colony, California; and Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute 
Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation, California.

    Dated: May 20, 2005.
Paul Hoffman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks
[FR Doc. 05-10799 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S