[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 34322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13604]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest, Goleta, CA, and Santa 
Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, 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 and associated funerary 
objects in the control of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, Los Padres National Forest, Goleta, CA, and in the possession 
of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from the 
Sunset Valley Site, Santa Barbara 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 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 Santa 
Barbara Museum of Natural History and Los Padres National Forest 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Santa 
Ynez Band of Chumash Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
    In 1935, human remains representing a minimum of seven individuals 
were removed from the Sunset Valley Site in Santa Barbara County, CA, 
by Milton Snow and David Banks Rogers of the Santa Barbara Museum of 
Natural History, as part of archeological investigations authorized by 
the Forest Service. The human remains were curated at the Santa Barbara 
Museum of Natural History. No known individuals were identified. The 
approximately 48 associated funerary objects are shell and bone 
ornaments, glass bead, shell fish hooks, eagle claws, stone vessels and 
tools, a projectile point, and pieces of pigment.
    The Sunset Valley Site consists of a large midden with possible 
habitation structures. The site was probably occupied in the early 
historic/mission period in California (A.D. 1769-1823).
    Based on the composition of the artifactual collection, site 
organization, the location of the site in the heart of the aboriginal 
lands of the Chumash and the probability that the site is one of the 
named Chumash villages, officials of the Los Padres National Forest 
have determined that the human remains and associated funerary objects 
from the Sunset Valley Site are culturally affiliated with the Santa 
Ynez Band of Chumash Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California. 
Oral traditions provided by representatives of the Santa Ynez Band of 
Chumash Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California support 
cultural affiliation.
    Officials of the Los Padres National Forest have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of seven individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Los Padres National Forest also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the approximately 
48 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 Los Padres 
National Forest 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 objects and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians of the 
Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Joan Brandoff-Kerr, Forest Archaeologist, Los 
Padres National Forest, Suite 150, 6755 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 
93117, telephone (805) 967-3481, ext. 215, before July 17, 2008. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, 
California may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    Los Padres National Forest is responsible for notifying the Santa 
Ynez Band of Chumash Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 21, 2008.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-13604 Filed 6-16-08; 8:45 am]
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