[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5741-5742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1966]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Public Utility District No. 1 of 
Douglas County, East Wenatchee, WA; Central Washington University, 
Department of Anthropology and Museum, Ellensburg, WA; and Thomas Burke 
Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, 
Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with provisions of 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 control 
of Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, East Wenatchee, WA, 
and in the possession of the Central Washington University, Department 
of Anthropology and Museum, Ellensburg, WA, and Thomas Burke Museum of 
Natural History and Culture (Burke Museum), University of Washington, 
Seattle, WA. The human remains were removed from Okanogan County, WA.
    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 Central 
Washington University and Burke Museum professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the 
Colville Reservation, Washington.
    In 1963, human remains were removed from site 45-OK-52 in Okanogan 
County, WA, under the supervision of Garland Grabert, a University of 
Washington archeologist, as part of the fieldwork for the Public 
Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County Wells Dam Project. Museum 
records show the human remains from site 45-OK-52 were taken to the 
Anthropology Department at the University of Washington, and 
subsequently transferred to the Burke Museum (Accn. 1965-74). Many of 
the individuals were subsequently transferred to other museums and/or 
reburied.
    In 2004, Central Washington University identified a minimum of one 
individual from 45-OK-52 in their collection. Also in 2004, the Burke 
Museum identified a minimum of one individual from this site in their 
collection. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In 1963, human remains were removed from site 45-OK-66 in Okanogan 
County, WA, under the supervision of Garland Grabert, a University of 
Washington archeologist, as part of the fieldwork for the Public 
Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County Wells Dam Project. Museum 
records show the human remains, except for Burial 1, were taken to the 
Anthropology Department at the University of Washington, and 
subsequently transferred to the Burke Museum (Accn. 1955-74). Many of 
the individuals were subsequently transferred to other museums and/or 
reburied. The remainder of the individuals were subsequently 
transferred to other museums and/or reburied.
    In 2004, Central Washington University identified a minimum of 
three individuals from 45-OK-66 in their collection. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Site 45-OK-52 was a housepit village found along the shore of the 
Columbia River just upstream of the mouth of the Okanogan River on 
Cassimer Bar. Site 45-OK-66 is a cemetery, which paralleled the 
Columbia River, upstream from the mouth of the Okanogan River.

[[Page 5742]]

    Archeological evidence indicates that the burials found at sites 
45-OK-52 and 45-OK-66 date to the prehistoric and historic period. The 
most common method of interment was tightly flexed in a supine position 
beneath a cedar cist and a rock cairn. This pattern is consistent in 
all details, except the cist, with the ethnohistorically reported 
mortuary practices of the Sinkaietk people of the southern Okanogan 
River. Descendants of the Sinkaietk are members of the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
    The geographical location of the burials are consistent with the 
prehistoric and historic territory of the Confederated Tribes of the 
Colville Reservation, Washington. Consultation evidence provided by 
representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington indicates that Okanogan County is part of the traditional 
and historically known occupation territory of the Confederated Tribes 
of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
    Officials of Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of five individuals of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Public Utility District No. 
1 of Douglas County also 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 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Lourdes 
Henebry-DeLeon, NAGPRA Program Director, Department of Anthropology and 
Museum, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7544, 
telephone (509) 963-2671 before March 9, 2007. Repatriation of the 
human remains to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County is responsible for 
notifying the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 21, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-1966 Filed 2-6-07; 8:45 am]
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