[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52019-52021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20954]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Colorado Museum, 
Boulder, CO

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 University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, 
CO. The human remains were removed from Moffat County, CO.
    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.

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    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
University of Colorado Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Bridgeport Paiute 
Indian Colony of California; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Confederated 
Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah; Death Valley Timbi-
Sha Shoshone Band of California; Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the 
Duckwater Reservation, Nevada; Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada; Fort 
McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian 
Reservation, Nevada and Oregon; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Kaibab Band of 
Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Kiowa Indian 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas 
Indian Colony, Nevada; Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian 
Colony, Nevada; Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian 
Reservation, Nevada; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; 
Northwestern Band of the Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie); Paiute 
Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, 
Koosharem Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes); Paiute-
Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony, 
California; Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, 
Nevada; Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, 
Nevada; Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Nevada; San Juan Southern Paiute 
Tribe of Arizona; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Skull 
Valley Band of Goshute Indians, Utah; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the 
Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada; 
Susanville Indian Rancheria, California; Te-Moak Tribe of Western 
Shoshone Indians of Nevada (Four constituent bands: Battle Mountain 
Band; Elko Band; South Fork Band and Wells Band); Ute Indian Tribe of 
the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; Walker River Paiute 
Tribe of the Walker River Reservation, Nevada; Winnemucca Indian Colony 
of Nevada; Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell 
Ranch, Nevada; Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba Reservation, Nevada; 
and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    Sometime from the late 1930s through the 1940s, human remains 
representing one individual were removed from Yampa Canyon, Moffat 
County, CO, by Charlie Mantle. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1939 or 1940, human remains representing one individual were 
removed from Big Joe Draw, Yampa Canyon, Moffat County, CO, by Charlie 
Mantle. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In both situations described above, field crews from the University 
of Colorado Department of Anthropology and the University of Colorado 
Museum conducted legally permitted excavations throughout much of Yampa 
Canyon during the late 1930s and throughout the 1940s. The expeditions 
were directed by Robert F. Burgh, Earl H. Morris, and Charles Scoggin. 
Much of this work occurred either within or close to present-day 
Dinosaur National Monument. However, catalogue records suggest that the 
human remains were given to the excavators by Charlie Mantle, a private 
property owner. Mantle's private land holdings were later added to 
Dinosaur National Monument. There is a clear gift agreement from 
Charlie Mantle to the museum. Based on biological evidence, Mr. 
Mantle's apparent extensive knowledge of the Native American sites on 
his land and his collecting interests, and the interests of the 
excavators, the human remains are reasonably believed to be Native 
American.
    Officials of the University of Colorado Museum have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Lastly, officials of the University of Colorado Museum have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of 
shared group identity cannot reasonably be traced between the Native 
American human remains and any present-day Indian tribe.
    The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review 
Committee (Review Committee) is responsible for recommending specific 
actions for disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains. In 
October 2009, the University of Colorado Museum requested that the 
Review Committee recommend disposition of the culturally unidentifiable 
human remains to the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain 
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah, based on Ute aboriginal land 
claims, supported by oral tradition, as well as the support of other 
Indian tribes that were consulted. The Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; and Susanville Indian Rancheria, California, signed 
the disposition agreement in support of the disposition to the Ute 
Mountain Tribe. Furthermore, none of the Indian tribes consulted 
objected to the determination of the ``culturally unidentifiable'' 
status by the University of Colorado Museum and the disposition to the 
Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New 
Mexico & Utah.
    The Review Committee considered the proposal at its October 30-31, 
2009, meeting and recommended the disposition of the human remains to 
the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New 
Mexico & Utah. The Secretary of the Interior agreed with the Review 
Committee's recommendation. An April 19, 2010, letter from the 
Designated Federal Officer, writing on behalf of the Secretary of the 
Interior, transmitted the authorization for the University of Colorado 
Museum to effect disposition of the physical remains of the culturally 
unidentifiable individuals to the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah, contingent on the 
publication of a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal 
Register. This notice fulfills that requirement.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Steve 
Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado Museum, in care 
of Jan Bernstein, Bernstein & Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, 
CO 80218, telephone (303) 894-0648, before September 23, 2010. 
Disposition of the human remains to the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah, may proceed after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Colorado Museum is responsible for notifying the 
Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of 
California; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Confederated Tribes of the 
Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah; Death Valley Timbi-Sha Shoshone 
Band of California; Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater 
Reservation, Nevada; Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada; Fort McDermitt 
Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, 
Nevada and Oregon; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians 
of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Kiowa Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian 
Colony, Nevada; Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian Colony, 
Nevada;

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Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, 
Nevada; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Northwestern Band of 
the Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie); Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah; 
Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony, 
California; Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, 
Nevada; Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, 
Nevada; Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Nevada; San Juan Southern Paiute 
Tribe of Arizona; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Skull 
Valley Band of Goshute Indians, Utah; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the 
Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada; 
Susanville Indian Rancheria, California; Te-Moak Tribe of Western 
Shoshone Indians of Nevada; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray 
Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, 
Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; Walker River Paiute Tribe of the Walker 
River Reservation, Nevada; Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada; 
Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell Ranch, 
Nevada; Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba Reservation, Nevada; and Zuni 
Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 18, 2010.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-20954 Filed 8-23-10; 8:45 am]
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