[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 41 (Friday, March 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13887-13888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04777]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12278; 2200-1100-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Washington State Parks and 
Recreation Commission, Olympia, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has 
completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian tribes. 
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the Washington 
State Parks and Recreation Commission. Repatriation of the human 
remains to the Indian tribes 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 
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission at the address below 
by April 1, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Alicia Woods, Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission, PO Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, telephone (360) 902-
0939.

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 Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. The 
human remains were removed from Deception Pass State Park, Fidalgo 
Island, Skagit 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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Washington 
State Parks and Recreation Commission professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of Samish Indian Nation (previously 
listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington); Sauk-Suiattle Indian 
Tribe; and the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously 
listed as the Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington). The following tribes 
were invited to consult but did not participate: Confederated Tribes 
and Bands of the Yakama Nation (deferred, with a request to be kept 
informed); Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (deferred); 
Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation (deferred); Swinomish Indians of 
the Swinomish Reservation of Washington (absent at consultation); 
Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes 
of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington) (repeatedly contacted without 
success); and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe (absent at consultation).

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were inadvertently discovered by park visitors within the Bowman Bay 
area of Deception Pass State Park on Fidalgo Island, in Skagit County, 
WA. This burial is adjacent to site 45-SK-8, but outside the site 
boundaries and buffer zone. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Between July 23 and 26, 1978, the human remains were investigated 
by the Skagit County Sheriff and Coroner who determined the remains 
were ``antiquital and not of recent origin,'' and removed the visible 
human remains. During that same year, the Washington State Office of 
Public Archaeology (hereinafter OPA), at the Washington State Parks' 
request, examined the burial site and discovered additional human 
remains. An OPA consultant and Washington State Parks staff contacted 
the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington and 
the Samish Indian Nation (previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, 
Washington) about the remains.
    A physical anthropologist examined the remains and determined them 
to be of Native American descent based on cranial and dental 
morphological characteristics. Bowman Bay is within the traditional 
territory of the Samish, Sauk-Suiattle, Skagit, Stillaguamish, and 
Swinomish people. Ethnographic data provided by early travelers and 
visitors to the area, as well as archaeological surveys and excavation 
reports, document regular use of the area, predominantly by the Samish 
Indian Nation (previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, 
Washington) and the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of 
Washington. In consultation, the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe provided 
historical information about generations of family members living in 
the area and ritual use of the area in vision quests and spirit songs. 
The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as 
the Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington) provided written evidence of 
geographic and kinship ties to the area, as well as oral traditional 
and historical evidence, and expert opinion linking the tribe to the 
location. Based on geographic and kinship evidence provided at 
consultation, Washington State Parks staff also determined a cultural 
affiliation of the human remains with the Skagit people and the 
Snohomish people (which are represented today by the Swinomish Indians 
of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington and the Tulalip Tribes of 
Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip 
Reservation, Washington), respectively).

[[Page 13888]]

Determinations Made by the Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission

    Officials of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual 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 Samish Indian Nation (previously listed 
as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington); Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe; 
Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as the 
Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish 
Reservation of Washington; and the Tulalip Tribes of Washington 
(previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, 
Washington).

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Alicia 
Woods, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, PO Box 42650, 
Olympia, WA 98504-2650, telephone (360) 902-0939, before April 1, 2013. 
Repatriation of the human remains to the Samish Indian Nation 
(previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington); Sauk-
Suiattle Indian Tribe; Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington 
(previously listed as the Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); Swinomish 
Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington; and the Tulalip 
Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the 
Tulalip Reservation, Washington) may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is responsible for 
notifying the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation; 
Samish Indian Nation (previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, 
Washington); Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe; Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians 
of Washington (previously listed as the Stillaguamish Tribe of 
Washington); Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of 
Washington; Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the 
Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington); and the Upper 
Skagit Indian Tribe that this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 5, 2013.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-04777 Filed 2-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P