[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 23506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9436]



[[Page 23506]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Interior, 
Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, Salt Lake City, 
UT, and Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social 
Change, Tempe, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Upper Colorado Region, Salt Lake City, UT, has completed an inventory 
of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribe, 
and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and a present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any 
Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the 
human remains may contact the Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado 
Region. Repatriation of the human remains to the Indian tribe stated 
below may occur if no additional claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the agency 
at the address below by May 21, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Keith Waldron, U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake 
City, UT 84138, telephone (801) 524-3816.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution 
and Social Change, Tempe, AZ, and under the control of the U.S. 
Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, 
Salt Lake City, UT. The human remains were removed from the pre-
inundation archeological work for the Navajo Reservoir, in Archuleta 
and San Juan counties, NM.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Arizona 
State University, the Museum of New Mexico, and the U.S. Bureau of 
Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, professional staffs in consultation 
with representatives of the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico and 
Utah.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1985, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from site LA 54175, an isolated burial in San Juan 
County, NM, during legally authorized excavations and collections by 
the Complete Archaeological Services at the Navajo Reservoir. These 
human remains are presently curated at the Arizona State University, 
School of Human Evolution and Social Change. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Based on the 
nature of the remains and the location, the burial has been identified 
as historic period Navajo, dating to A.D. 1700-1800.
    In 1959, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from site LA 4212 in Archuleta County, NM, during an 
archeological survey by the Museum of New Mexico as part of the Navajo 
Reservoir Project. The site is an historic structure dating to A.D. 
1890-1925, and the remains were noted as ``from a pot-hunted burial.'' 
The cranium exhibits no cranial deformation, suggesting a probable 
Navajo affiliation; however, the cranium and mandible are not clearly 
identifiable as culturally affiliated with an Indian tribe. Given the 
totality of circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the human 
remains, they are most likely Navajo. These human remains are presently 
curated by the Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and 
Social Change. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In 1958, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
with possible fragments of a second individual were recovered from site 
LA 4072 in San Juan County, NM, during legally authorized excavations 
and collections by the Museum of New Mexico as part of the Navajo 
Reservoir Project. These human remains are presently curated by the 
Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change. 
No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present. Based on material culture, site LA 4072 has been identified as 
dating to the period A.D. 1500-1775 which includes both the 
Din[eacute]tah and Gobernador phases.
    Physical anthropological traits, burial customs, geography, and 
oral traditions indicate affiliation of the human remains listed above 
with the historic and present-day Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico 
and Utah.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, Salt Lake City, UT

    Officials of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of a minimum of three 
individuals of Native American ancestry.
     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 Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico and 
Utah.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Keith 
Waldron, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake 
City, UT 84138, telephone (801) 524-3816, before May 21, 2012. 
Repatriation of the human remains to the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico and Utah may proceed after that date if no additional claimants 
come forward.
    The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region is 
responsible for notifying the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico and 
Utah that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 12, 2012.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-9436 Filed 4-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P