[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61666-61667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21367]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Wallowa--Whitman National Forest, Hells Canyon National 
Recreation Area, Baker City, OR and Thomas Burke Memorial State Museum 
of Washington, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

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 and associated funerary 
objects in the control of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, Wallowa--Whitman National Forest, Baker City, OR and in the 
possession of the Thomas Burke Memorial State Museum of Washington 
(Burke Museum), University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Idaho County, 
ID and Wallowa County, OR.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25

[[Page 61667]]

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 and associated funerary 
objects. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Burke 
Museum and Wallowa--Whitman National Forest professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the 
Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Reservation, Oregon; and Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho.
    In 1955--1956, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from 35--WA--13 in Wallowa County, OR, from a 
cairn burial by George L. Coale, a University of Washington 
Anthropology student. The human remains were accessioned by the Burke 
Museum in 1987 (Burke Accn. 1987--12). No known individual was 
identified. The three associated funerary objects are three stone 
spalls.
    In 1955--1956, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from 35--WA--17 in Wallowa County, OR, from a 
cairn burial by Mr. Coale. The human remains were accessioned by the 
Burke Museum in 1987 (Burke Accn. 1987--12). No known 
individual was identified. The one associated funerary object is a 
single stone spall.
    In 1955, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from 10--ID--12 in Idaho County, ID, by a University of 
Washington Field Expedition led by Mr. Coale and supervised by Dr. 
Douglas Osborne. The human remains were transferred to the Burke Museum 
in 1987 (Burke Accn. 1987--12). No known individual was 
identified. The 60 associated funerary objects are 42 non-human mammal 
bones, 15 flakes, 2 pieces of stone shatter, and 1 lot of shell.
    In 1955, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from 10--ID--13 in Idaho County, ID, by a University of 
Washington Field Expedition led by Mr. Coale and supervised by Dr. 
Osborne. The human remains were transferred to the Burke Museum in 1987 
(Burke Accn. 1987--12). No known individuals were identified. 
The seven associated funerary objects are one bag of charcoal, two 
shell fragments, and four unmodified stones.
    In 1955, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from 10-ID-25 in Idaho County, ID, by a University of 
Washington Field Expedition led by Mr. Coale and supervised by Dr. 
Osborne. The human remains were transferred to the Burke Museum in 1987 
(Burke Accn. 1987--12). No known individual was identified. 
The one associated funerary object is a shell pendant.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects are part of the 
Mt. Sheep Pleasant Valley Reservoir Survey project. All five sites are 
located on U.S. Forest Service property in the Snake River Canyon. The 
archeology, ethnography and history of the Snake River Canyon, 
including those areas from which the human remains were removed, 
demonstrates a nearly continuous use of the area with numerous 
adaptations through time that lead inexorably to the occupation and 
utilization by a people who became identified in historic times as the 
Nee-Me--Poo or Nez Perce, the Weyiletpuu or Cayuse, Imatalamlama or 
Umatilla, and Waluulapam or Walla Walla. The oral traditions and oral 
histories of these groups place their people in the canyon ``since time 
immemorial.'' Descendants of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla are 
members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon. 
Descendants of the Nez Perce are members of the Confederated Tribes of 
the Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; and Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho.
    Officials of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of six individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest 
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 72 
objects described above 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. Lastly, officials of the Wallowa-
Whitman 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 
associated funerary object and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Reservation, Oregon; and Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Jen Fitzpatrick, Customer Service Staff Officer, 
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, 1550 Dewey Avenue, Baker City, OR 
97814, telephone (541) 523-1222, before November 30, 2007. Repatriation 
of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; and[sol]or Nez 
Perce Tribe of Idaho may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is responsible for notifying the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; and Nez Perce 
Tribe of Idaho that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 1, 2007.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-21367 Filed 10-30-07; 8:45 am]
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